News
Government Withdraws Order on Mandatory Sanchar Saathi Pre-Installation
The central government has withdrawn its recent order that required mobile phone companies to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones sold in India. The decision came just five days after the original directive was issued.
Government Removes the Mandate
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Communications announced through a press release that the mandate had been revoked.
“Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, the Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” the statement said.
This decision followed communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia’s remarks in the Lok Sabha, where he said that the government was open to modifying the directive if citizens raised genuine concerns.
Concerns Over Privacy and ‘Snooping’
The initial order, issued on November 28, required all phone makers to ship new devices with Sanchar Saathi already installed. The wording of the order suggested users would not be able to disable or delete the app, raising immediate concerns among privacy advocates and civil society groups.
Although the government later clarified that users could remove the app if they wished, critics remained worried that it might become a tool for government surveillance.
As criticism grew, Scindia stated in Parliament that Sanchar Saathi does not access personal data and cannot be used for snooping. He said the app is meant only to help users access fraud-prevention tools easily.
Why the Mandate Was Withdrawn
According to DoT secretary Neeraj Mittal, the mandate was dropped because the app has already become widely popular.
“Just in one day, 600,000 citizens have registered for downloading the app, which is a 10x increase in its uptake,” said the government statement, adding that this shows citizens trust the app for safeguarding themselves from fraud.
However, a person familiar with the matter said the DoT faced “too much pressure” from the industry and the public backlash. The person added that officials informally checked with legal experts, who reportedly said the directive might not stand up constitutionally.
A second DoT official disagreed, saying there was no industry pressure and that many smartphone brands supported the mandate. “India’s digital future depends on partnerships where government, industry, and citizens unite against common threats like cyber fraud,” the official said.
An industry executive aware of Apple’s internal discussions said public outrage and debates in Parliament during the winter session contributed to the withdrawal.
Political and Public Reactions
Opposition party Congress demanded the withdrawal of the mandate, accusing the government of trying to create a “surveillance state.”
“Safety is an excuse, the target is privacy,” said Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera. He compared the app’s potential misuse to the Pegasus spyware controversy.
Digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation welcomed the decision but said they are waiting for the complete text of the revised legal order. “This is cautious optimism, not closure,” the group said.
Sanchar Saathi’s Growing Adoption
The government says that more than 14 million people have already downloaded the Sanchar Saathi app. According to officials, the app helps detect around 2,000 fraud incidents every day. The mandate, they said, was meant to speed up adoption and help citizens—especially those less aware of digital threats—access its features easily.