The Indian government is tightening control over the smartphone market under the pretext of fighting fraud and theft. Manufacturers have been required to install the government-run Sanchar Saathi app on all phones and make it impossible for users to uninstall it.
The Indian government is tightening control over the smartphone market under the pretext of fighting fraud and theft. Manufacturers have been required to install the government-run Sanchar Saathi app on all phones and make it impossible for users to uninstall it.
According to Engadget, the regulator has sent a non-public order to manufacturers: within 90 days, they must add Sanchar Saathi to all new smartphones and extend it to already sold devices via software updates. This applies to all popular brands — from global players to local companies operating in one of the largest smartphone markets in the world.
Sanchar Saathi is positioned as a user protection tool. Through it, the owner can block a lost or stolen phone by IMEI, apply for deactivation of fraudulent SIM cards and check suspicious numbers. According to official statistics, the system has already helped block millions of stolen or lost devices and stop tens of millions of fake connections related to fraudulent schemes.
At the same time, the government is expanding the system to the used device market. Companies that buy or sell used phones must check each device against a central IMEI database. The idea is to make it impossible to resell stolen smartphones and reduce the number of device cloning schemes for online fraud.
Critics of the decision emphasize that a mandatory government app on every smartphone creates risks of total surveillance. Human rights organizations and opposition politicians warn that the government has a new tool to access user data and track their activity, while control and transparency mechanisms remain weak.
India’s communications minister publicly assures that the system is «voluntary,» and users will supposedly be able to opt out of the app. However, the wording in the government document, which the media reports, directly states: Sanchar Saathi should be visible when you first set up your smartphone, and its operation cannot be restricted or turned off. Because of this, the new initiative is already being called a test of how far the state is willing to go in interfering with citizens' personal devices under the slogan of fighting cybercrime.
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