The Indian government has mandated the pre-installation of the “Sanchar Saathi” application, a state-owned cybersecurity tool, on all new smartphones sold within the country. This application is designed to facilitate the tracking and blocking of stolen devices, alongside preventing their unauthorized use.
Smartphone manufacturers have been given a 90-day compliance period to implement this directive. However, according to a Reuters report, Apple intends to decline this request. The company, based in Cupertino, California, is reportedly preparing to inform the Indian government that it will not comply with the pre-installation order.
According to sources within the industry, Apple’s position is based on the concern that such mandatory installations pose significant privacy and security risks to its iOS ecosystem. This stance reflects a broader policy of the company to maintain strict control over its software and user data.
The introduction of Sanchar Saathi has generated considerable public debate within India. Despite this, the country’s telecom minister has characterized the system as “voluntary and democratic”, asserting that users retain the ability to deactivate the application and remove it from their devices. However, the initial government directive of November 28th mandates pre-installation and prohibits the disabling or restriction of the application’s core functionality, creating a point of apparent contradiction.
