India Orders Smartphone Makers to Preload State Cyber App

• India’s telecom ministry orders smartphone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on new devices
• The app helps track lost or stolen phones, block fraudulent connections, and prevent cybercrime
• Privacy advocates and legal experts have raised concerns, while the government says the app is essential for telecom security

The Ministry of Telecommunications has sent a letter to manufacturers requesting that Sanchar Saathi, a new security application from the Government of India, be installed on every new device being produced.

This request has been made to combat an increase in cyber-crime as well as to help prevent fraudulent use of phones that have been reported lost/stolen. In addition, under this directive, the government is promoting the use of their broadband services.

India cybersecurity app will be installed under the smartphone preload mandate, requiring the state-owned cyber app to enhance mobile security India as part of the Indian government app policy and tech regulations India.

The letter was issued on November 28 and states that manufacturers have 90 days to comply with this request. Manufacturers who are required to do so include Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Mobile Manufacturers are also required to push the application to existing devices already in the supply chain through software updates. Apple's operating system (iOS) accounted for approximately 4.5% of all smartphones in India as of mid-2025.

Apple has a policy that prohibits any type of pre-installation of government or third-party applications prior to retail sales, which may create some controversy over this issue.

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Sanchar Saathi was launched in January, the app has been downloaded more than 50 million times and it has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, including approximately 50,000 recovered in October 2025 alone.

The app enables users to report and block their lost or stolen phones from all telecom operators and also enables users to track down their phones. Users can use the app to identify and report fraudulent mobile connections and help stop counterfeit mobile devices from entering the black market.

Since its launch, approximately 3.7 million of the stolen devices have been blocked and over 30 million fraudulent connections terminated.

Privacy advocates and legal experts have voiced concerns regarding the mandatory installation of the app, citing potential privacy concerns and echoing criticism of similar regulations in countries such as Russia.

The Indian government, however, maintains that the app is essential for maintaining the safety and security of mobile networks, to combat fraud, and to help law enforcement agencies locate stolen or lost mobile devices, especially those that are using duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers.