🔗 Share this article

In a notable move, India's telecoms department has confidentially instructed smartphone companies to preload all new handsets with a government-backed cybersecurity application that is non-removable. This order, which has been disclosed, is expected to alarm major tech companies like Apple and prompt questions among privacy advocates.

A Global Trend in Digital Security Policy

To combat a rising tide of online fraud and device misuse, The Indian authorities is joining authorities worldwide. This move mirrors comparable measures enacted in countries like Russia, which aim to curb the use of lost phones for fraud and encourage state-backed service apps.

What Companies Are Affected by the Directive?

The new order applies to major mobile phone companies operating in the domestic market. These include Apple, a company that has in the past locked horns with the telecom authority over similar applications, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Specifics of the Official Order

An order dated 28 November allots phone companies a three-month deadline to ensure that the government's "Messenger Friend" application is factory-loaded on all new devices. A key provision is that owners cannot disable the software.

For devices currently in the supply chain, companies are instructed to send the app via system updates. It is notable that this order was not made public and was sent selectively to chosen firms.

Privacy Apprehensions Voiced

However, legal analysts have flagged major apprehensions regarding this policy. A legal expert focusing in technology issues stated that India's directive is a cause for concern.

“The government effectively eliminates user consent as a genuine choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital rights matters.

Privacy advocates had also criticised a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored messenger called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Size of the Domestic Market

India, one of the world's largest telephone markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Official statistics show that the Sanchar Saathi application, introduced in January, has already assisted in locating over 700,000 lost phones, with around 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The government states that the software is vital to fight the “significant endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which facilitate illicit activities and system misuse.

The Tech Giant's Likely Response

Apple's iOS runs on an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the rest using Android, as per industry analysis. While Apple includes its own first-party applications on its devices, its internal rules reportedly forbid the inclusion of any government app before the purchase of a device.

“Apple has traditionally refused these kinds of requests from authorities,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s probable to seek a negotiated solution: instead of a mandatory inclusion, they might discuss and ask for an alternative to prompt users towards installing the application.”

Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unresponded. India’s telecommunications department also did not respond.

The Role of the IMEI and the App's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number unique to each mobile device. It is most commonly used by carriers to cut off network access for phones reported as lost.

The Sanchar Saathi application is primarily designed to enable users block and track missing phones across all telecom networks, using a central registry. It also enables them to detect, and terminate, fraudulent mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Outcomes

With more than 5 million installs since its release, the software has already helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Additionally, over 30 million illegal connections have also been disconnected through its use.

The government claims that the tool helps combating digital threats and helps in the tracking and disabling of lost or stolen phones, thereby aiding police in recovering handsets and preventing cloned devices out of the black market.