🔗 Share this article

In a significant step, India's telecoms authority has discreetly directed mobile phone companies to preload all new devices with a national cybersecurity application that is non-removable. This order, which has been disclosed, is likely to concern major technology firms like Apple and raise questions among consumer watchdogs.

An International Shift in Digital Security Regulation

To combat a growing wave of digital scams and phone theft, India is following authorities internationally. This move parallels comparable regulations enacted in countries like Russia, which aim to block the use of stolen phones for fraud and encourage official service apps.

Which Companies Are Bound by the Order?

The recent directive binds major smartphone companies active in the domestic market. Among them are Apple, which has previously locked horns with the telecom authority over similar applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Specifics of the Official Order

An directive dated 28 November allots smartphone companies a 90-day period to guarantee that the government's Sanchar Saathi app is included on all new mobile phones. A key provision is that users cannot disable the software.

For devices already in the distribution network, companies are required to push the app via system upgrades. It is worth mentioning that this order was not made public and was dispatched in confidence to specific firms.

Digital Rights Concerns Raised

However, technology analysts have raised significant worries regarding this move. A legal expert specialising in tech issues stated that India's action is a worrying development.

“The government effectively eliminates user consent as a genuine choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on internet rights matters.

Consumer organisations had earlier questioned a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a state-backed messenger called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Scope of the Domestic Smartphone Landscape

India, one of the world's biggest mobile markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Official data reveal that the Sanchar Saathi application, introduced in January, has reportedly helped tracking down over 700,000 lost phones, with approximately 50,000 found in October alone.

The authorities states that the software is crucial to combat the “significant endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which enable illicit activities and network abuse.

Apple's Stance

Apple's iOS powers an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the vast majority using Android, according to market research. While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary apps on its devices, its internal rules reportedly forbid the installation of any government app before the purchase of a smartphone.

“Apple has in the past declined these kinds of mandates from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to aim for a middle ground: rather than a forced pre-install, they might negotiate and ask for an alternative to nudge users towards downloading the application.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecoms ministry also did not respond.

Understanding the IMEI and the Application's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number assigned to each mobile device. It is typically used by networks to block network access for phones reported as stolen.

The Sanchar Saathi app is mainly designed to help users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a central registry. It also enables them to detect, and terminate, fraudulent mobile connections.

Impressive Usage and Results

With more than 5 million downloads since its release, the app has already been used to disable more than 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Furthermore, more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been blocked through its use.

The government states that the app aids in preventing digital threats and assists in the tracking and disabling of missing phones, thereby aiding police in tracing devices and keeping cloned devices out of the illicit trade.