India Cancels Directive on Preloading State-Owned Security Apps on Smartphones

The Indian government has rescinded an order that mandated all smartphones to include a state-owned security application, following widespread protests concerning privacy issues and resistance from tech companies.

The Ministry of Telecommunications has announced the cancellation of a previous mandate requiring technology firms to integrate the government’s Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on all smartphones sold in India within a 90-day timeframe.

This order ignited a political uproar, with major tech giants, including Apple and Google, indicating their refusal to comply, citing privacy worries. In a statement released Wednesday, the government confirmed that it had “chosen not to mandate mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install it.”

The government emphasized that the app, designed to enable users to block and track lost or stolen devices and report fraudulent calls, is “secure and solely intended to help citizens combat the ‘bad actors’.”

The initial mandate, which was quietly communicated to tech companies last week, quickly drew backlash as internet privacy advocates and political opposition parties voiced concerns over its potential for mass surveillance.

Apple and Google, speaking anonymously to the media, asserted that tech firms would oppose the mandate due to privacy concerns impacting their operating systems and contradicting internal policies.

Protests erupted in Parliament on Wednesday, with opposition lawmakers accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration of infringing on citizens’ fundamental right to privacy.

Randeep Singh Surjewala from the opposition Indian National Congress party warned that the app “could function as a kill switch, turning all mobile phones into non-functional devices, potentially used against journalists, opposition leaders, and dissenters at the government’s discretion.”

Similar concerns arose after the Russian government mandated the installation of an app named Max on all smartphones in August, leading to accusations of potential mass surveillance.

In response to the backlash, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that the Sanchar Saathi app was optional and removable, which contradicted the original directive.

“In a democracy, every citizen has that right, so you can uninstall it just like any other application. No snooping will be possible with this app,” he stated.

The government’s decision to withdraw the order was welcomed by online rights and privacy advocacy groups. “At this moment, until formal legal guidance is released and independently verified, this should be viewed as cautious optimism rather than a definitive resolution,” commented the Internet Freedom Foundation.