India Forces Tech Giants to Install State Surveillance App

In a concerning move that echoes authoritarian practices worldwide, India's telecommunications ministry has quietly ordered smartphone manufacturers to preload all new devices with a mandatory state-owned cybersecurity application that users cannot delete or disable.

The November 28 directive, obtained by Reuters, gives major technology companies including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi just 90 days to comply with the installation of the government's Sanchar Saathi app on all new mobile phones.

Corporate Resistance Expected

Apple, which has previously clashed with Indian regulators over government app requirements, faces a particular challenge given its strict internal policies prohibiting the installation of any government or third-party applications before device sales.

"Apple has historically refused such requests from governments," explained Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint. The company may seek compromise solutions, potentially negotiating for user prompts rather than mandatory pre-installation.

This resistance reflects broader concerns about state overreach in the digital sphere, particularly as authoritarian governments worldwide increasingly demand backdoor access to personal devices.

Privacy Advocates Sound Alarm

Technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary, who specialises in internet advocacy, warned that "the government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice." This criticism mirrors international condemnation of similar requirements, including Russia's August mandate for the state-backed MAX messenger app.

The move represents a troubling trend of governments leveraging cybersecurity concerns to justify expanded surveillance capabilities, undermining fundamental digital rights and user autonomy.

Market Impact and Implementation

India's massive telecommunications market, serving over 1.2 billion subscribers, makes compliance economically crucial for global manufacturers. Apple's iOS powers approximately 4.5% of India's 735 million smartphones, with Android dominating the remainder.

For devices already in distribution channels, manufacturers must push the application through software updates, ensuring comprehensive coverage across the market.

Government Justification

Officials defend the mandate as essential for combating "serious endangerment" of telecommunications cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable fraud and network misuse.

Since its January launch, the app has reportedly facilitated recovery of over 700,000 lost phones and blocked more than 3.7 million stolen devices. Additionally, authorities claim to have terminated over 30 million fraudulent connections.

However, critics argue that legitimate cybersecurity objectives do not justify mandatory, undeletable surveillance tools that compromise user privacy and device autonomy.

This development highlights the ongoing tension between national security imperatives and digital rights, as governments worldwide increasingly assert control over personal technology in ways that would have been unthinkable just decades ago.