Apple will reportedly refuse India’s order to preinstall a government app | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessCreatorsMobilePolicySecurityTransportationReviewsExpandLaptopsPhonesHeadphonesTabletsSmart HomeSmartwatchesSpeakersDronesScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthEntertainmentExpandGamesTV ShowsMoviesAudioAIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee All ShoppingCarsExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersOther TransportationFeaturesVideosExpandYouTubeTikTokInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Apple will reportedly refuse India’s order to preinstall a government appComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechApple will reportedly refuse India’s order to preinstall a government appThe directive would make the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory and block users from disabling it.The directive would make the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory and block users from disabling it.by Stevie BonifieldCloseStevie BonifieldNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Stevie BonifieldDec 2, 2025, 2:46 PM UTCLinkShareImage: NurPhoto via Getty ImagesStevie BonifieldCloseStevie BonifieldPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Stevie Bonifield is a news writer covering all things consumer tech. Stevie started out at Laptop Mag writing news and reviews on hardware, gaming, and AI.Apple is not planning to comply with an order from the Indian government directing phone manufacturers to preload a state-backed cybersecurity app, according to Reuters.Industry sources tell Reuters that Apple plans to tell India’s government that they don’t comply with requests like this due to privacy and security concerns. However, Apple won’t go to court or “take a public stand” over the order. At the time of writing, iPhones make up just nine percent of India’s smartphone market, behind Vivo, Oppo, and Samsung, which were also directed to preload the state-backed app on their devices.The app in question, Sanchar Saathi or “Communication Partner,” can be used to track and block lost or stolen phones using their IMEI. It’s currently available in the App Store and Google Play Store, but the Indian government’s order would make the app mandatory on all new phones sold in the region, require phone manufacturers to push it to existing phones through a software update, and prevent users from disabling the app.The order was privately issued to phone manufacturers on November 28th, and is facing pushback over concerns Sanchar Saathi could be used for surveillance or tracking outside of its stated anti-theft purposes. India’s Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia commented on Tuesday that “the app is completely optional. If you want to delete it, you can.” However, that directly contradicts the government order’s reported directions to prevent users from disabling Sanchar Saathi.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Stevie BonifieldCloseStevie BonifieldNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Stevie BonifieldAppleCloseApplePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AppleNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularNetflix kills casting from phonesThe Nintendo Switch 2 got its first-ever discount during Cyber MondayThese last-minute Cyber Monday deals will likely be gone tomorrowMKBHD is taking down his wallpaper appApple’s smallest iPad just got its biggest price cut for Cyber MondayThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Apple is reportedly refusing to comply with an order from the Indian government mandating the pre-installation of a state-backed cybersecurity application, Sanchar Saathi, on new smartphones sold within the country. This decision stems from significant privacy and security concerns raised by the tech giant. According to reports from Reuters and industry sources, Apple intends to reject the governmental directive, opting not to engage in legal challenges or public confrontations over the issue. Despite holding only a nine percent share of India’s smartphone market—significantly smaller than competitors like Vivo, Oppo, and Samsung—the order targets all smartphone manufacturers operating in the region.

The Sanchar Saathi application, also known as the “Communication Partner,” functions primarily to track and block lost or stolen phones using their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. Currently available on both the App Store and Google Play Store, the government’s directive would fundamentally alter its functionality by making it mandatory on all new phones, requiring manufacturers to push the update to existing devices, and critically, preventing users from disabling the app. The order was privately communicated to phone manufacturers on November 28th, sparking immediate objections due to anxieties surrounding potential surveillance or misuse beyond its stated anti-theft capabilities.

The situation is further complicated by contradictory statements regarding the app’s optional nature. While India’s Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, has publicly asserted that Sanchar Saathi is entirely optional and that users are permitted to delete it, this directly contradicts the government’s purported direction to prevent user disabling of the application. This divergence in messaging highlights the core conflict between the Indian government’s regulatory ambitions and Apple’s commitment to user privacy and control.

The implications of this refusal extend beyond simply a disagreement between a tech company and a governing body. It represents a broader challenge to the increasing trend of governments mandating pre-installed applications on consumer devices, raising concerns about potential government access to user data and the erosion of individual privacy rights. The dispute underscores the delicate balance between national security concerns, which governments often cite as justification for such mandates, and the fundamental rights of citizens regarding personal information. The resistance from Apple signals a potential escalation of the conflict—one that could have lasting consequences for the future of smartphone ecosystems and digital privacy globally.