🔗 Share this article

In a significant step, India's telecoms authority has discreetly instructed smartphone companies to preload all new phones with a government-backed cybersecurity application that cannot be deleted. This directive, which has come to light, is expected to concern leading technology companies like Apple and prompt questions among consumer watchdogs.

A Worldwide Shift in Digital Security Regulation

To combat a growing wave of digital scams and device misuse, India is aligning with authorities worldwide. This step mirrors similar regulations enacted in countries like Russia, which aim to curb the use of stolen phones for scams and encourage official service apps.

What Companies Are Impacted by the Directive?

The new mandate applies to key mobile phone makers active in the domestic market. This encompasses Apple, a company that has previously clashed with the telecom authority over similar applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Government Mandate

An order dated 28 November allots smartphone manufacturers a 90-day period to ensure that the government's "Messenger Friend" application is included on all new handsets. A notable provision is that consumers will not be able to remove the app.

For handsets currently in the retail pipeline, manufacturers are required to send the app via system upgrades. It is important that this order was privately circulated and was communicated in confidence to chosen companies.

User Consent Apprehensions Expressed

However, technology specialists have raised major concerns regarding this decision. A legal expert focusing in tech matters said that India's action is a cause for concern.

“The government effectively eliminates user consent as a meaningful choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on internet advocacy issues.

Privacy advocates had previously criticised a similar mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored communication app to be pre-installed on phones.

The Size of the Domestic Market

India, among the world's largest mobile markets, boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users. Official figures indicate that the cybersecurity application, launched in January, has reportedly helped tracking down over 700,000 lost phones, with approximately 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The government contends that the tool is crucial to combat the “grave endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from duplicate or tampered IMEI numbers, which are used for scams and network misuse.

Apple's Stance

Apple's iOS runs on an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the rest using Android, as per market research. While Apple includes its own proprietary applications on its devices, its company policies are said to forbid the inclusion of any third-party application before the purchase of a smartphone.

“Apple has traditionally refused such requests from authorities,” noted Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s likely to seek a negotiated solution: rather than a compulsory pre-install, they might discuss and propose an option to prompt users towards downloading the app.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecommunications department also offered no comment.

The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Function

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number unique to each handset. It is typically used by operators to block cellular access for phones flagged as lost.

The Sanchar Saathi application is primarily intended to enable users track and locate lost or stolen phones across all telecom networks, using a national registry. It also lets them to identify, and disconnect, illegal mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Outcomes

With more than 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has already been used to disable over 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Furthermore, more than 30 million illegal connections have also been blocked through its use.

The authorities states that the app helps preventing cyberthreats and assists in the tracking and blocking of missing phones, thereby helping police in recovering handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the black market.