India orders Apple and other phone makers to preload its anti-fraud app

• India is requiring phone makers to install its anti-fraud app.
• The app can’t be removedand Apple and privacy groups are expected to object.

India is moving to make a government-built cybersecurity app standard on all new smartphones, aiming to slow the rise of online scams and other digital crimes, according to reports.

The order, dated November 28 and first reported a few days later by Reuters and local media, gives manufacturers 90 days to load the Sanchar Saathi app onto every new device. Users would not be able to remove it. Reuters said the notice went out privately to major phone makers, including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

The Department of Telecommunications also wants companies to push a software update that installs the app on phones already in use, the reports said.

Sanchar Saathi, released in January, is already available for download. India has about 1.2 billion smartphone users, and the app is one of several tools the government is using to curb fraud tied to stolen devices and fake or spoofed IMEI numbers. These numbers act as unique IDs for phones and are used to block network access when a phone is reported lost.

Government figures cited by Reuters say the app has been downloaded more than five million times. Officials claim it has helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost phones and stopped more than 30 million suspicious connections. They also say it has supported the recovery of more than 700,000 lost devices.

Pushback expected, especially from Apple

Apple is expected to resist the order, Reuters reported, along with privacy advocates who worry about the lack of user choice.

A source told Reuters that Apple’s internal policies do not allow any third-party apps — including those made by governments — to be installed before a device is sold. Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint, said the company has pushed back against similar requests in the past.

“It’s likely to seek a middle ground: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an option to nudge users towards installing the app,” Pathak said.

Mishi Choudhary, a lawyer focused on internet rights, told Reuters the order was troubling because it “effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice.”

The DoT has not commented on the reports.

Part of a wider global trend

India’s move echoes decisions by other governments that want more control over mobile services, especially as fraud grows and encrypted platforms make investigations harder.

In August, Russia issued its own directive requiring phone makers to preload a state-backed messaging app called MAX on all phones and tablets starting September 1. Critics there claim the app could be used to track users, though state media denies this. Russia also ordered that its domestic app store, RuStore, be installed on Apple devices, and that LIME HD TV, a free app streaming state TV channels, be added to all smart TVs from January 1.

These steps came as Russia tightened its hold over online platforms, saying WhatsApp and Telegram were not sharing enough information with law enforcement in cases linked to fraud and terrorism.

What the Indian mandate would change

Sanchar Saathi is already available in Apple’s App Store and on Google Play, but the new rule would make the app compulsory and would stop users from removing or disabling it. The app includes tools to block or trace stolen phones using their IMEI numbers and lets people report suspected fraud messages.

Apple still has a small share of India’s massive phone market, but demand for its devices is growing. The company reported record revenue of $9 billion in India in September. Google also expanded its presence by offering direct online sales of Pixel phones earlier this year. Both companies have stepped up local manufacturing as India becomes a more important base for device production.

Apple and Google did not respond to requests for comment.

Want to discover how IoT is transforming telecoms and connectivity? Join the IoT Tech Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. Explore how innovations in 5G, edge computing, and IoT are shaping the future of networks and services. The event is part of TechEx and co-located with other leading technology conferences, click here for more information.

Telecoms News is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.