🔗 Share this article

In a major decision, India's telecoms ministry has discreetly instructed mobile phone manufacturers to include all new phones with a state-owned cybersecurity application that cannot be deleted. This mandate, which has come to light, is likely to antagonise leading technology companies like Apple and raise concerns among digital rights groups.

An International Trend in Cybersecurity Policy

To combat a recent surge of online fraud and device misuse, India is joining governments internationally. This step parallels comparable regulations framed in countries like Russia, which aim to curb the use of lost phones for illicit activities and push state-backed service apps.

Which Companies Are Impacted by the Order?

The recent order applies to key smartphone makers active in the domestic market. Among them are Apple, which has in the past had disagreements with the telecom authority over similar applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Specifics of the Official Order

An order dated 28 November gives smartphone companies a three-month window to guarantee that the official "Messenger Friend" application is factory-loaded on all new handsets. A key condition is that users are prevented from deleting the application.

For handsets currently in the retail pipeline, makers are instructed to push the app via system updates. It is important that this directive was sent confidentially and was communicated in confidence to chosen companies.

User Consent Worries Voiced

However, technology analysts have flagged major concerns regarding this decision. A lawyer specialising in technology matters said that India's step is a reason to worry.

“The government practically eliminates user consent as a genuine choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on digital rights matters.

Consumer organisations had also criticised a similar requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed messenger called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Scale of the Domestic Smartphone Landscape

India, among the world's biggest telephone markets, boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users. Official figures reveal that the cybersecurity application, launched in January, has already helped locating more than 700,000 stolen phones, with approximately 50,000 found in October by itself.

The government contends that the software is vital to fight the “significant endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from fake or spoofed IMEI numbers, which are used for illicit activities and system abuse.

Apple's Stance

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 apps on its devices, its company rules are said to ban the installation of any government application before the sale of a smartphone.

“Apple has historically declined such mandates from governments,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to seek a compromise: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and propose an alternative to prompt users towards installing the app.”

Requests for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecommunications department also remained silent.

Understanding the IMEI and the App's Purpose

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

The Sanchar Saathi app is chiefly created to help users track and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a national registry. It also allows them to detect, and disconnect, illegal mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Results

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

The authorities asserts that the software aids in combating cyberthreats and helps in the tracking and disabling of lost or stolen phones, thereby aiding police in recovering handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the black market.