🔗 Share this article

In a significant step, India's telecommunications authority has privately asked mobile phone companies to pre-install all new handsets with a national cybersecurity app that is non-removable. This order, which has been disclosed, is likely to alarm major technology firms like Apple and prompt questions among digital rights groups.

A Global Trend in Cybersecurity Regulation

Addressing a rising tide of digital scams and phone theft, The Indian authorities is aligning with regulators worldwide. This step parallels recent measures framed in nations like Russia, which aim to prevent the use of stolen phones for illicit activities and promote government-developed service apps.

What Manufacturers Are Impacted by the Order?

The recent mandate binds major smartphone brands active in the domestic market. These include Apple, a company that has previously had disagreements with the telecom authority over comparable apps, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Specifics of the Official Mandate

An order dated 28 November provides phone manufacturers a 90-day period to ensure that the official "Messenger Friend" application is included on all new handsets. A critical condition is that owners will not be able to remove the app.

For handsets currently in the supply chain, manufacturers are instructed to deliver the application via system updates. It is worth mentioning that this directive was sent confidentially and was dispatched privately to select manufacturers.

User Consent Worries Voiced

However, technology specialists have flagged major concerns regarding this decision. A legal expert specialising in technology issues commented that India's directive is a worrying development.

“The government practically eliminates user consent as a real choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital rights matters.

Privacy advocates had previously condemned a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a state-backed communication called Max to be included on phones.

The Scale of the Domestic Market

India, one of the world's largest telephone markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Government data indicate that the cybersecurity app, introduced in January, has reportedly helped recovering over 700,000 stolen phones, with approximately 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The government argues that the app is crucial to tackle the “serious endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which facilitate illicit activities and network misuse.

The Tech Giant's Likely Response

Apple's iOS powers an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the rest using Android, according to market research. While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary apps on its devices, its company guidelines are said to forbid the installation of any government app before the purchase of a smartphone.

“Apple has historically refused such mandates from authorities,” noted Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to pursue a compromise: instead of a forced inclusion, they might discuss and propose an option to prompt users towards downloading the application.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unresponded. India’s telecommunications department also remained silent.

The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Function

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number unique to each mobile device. It is primarily used by carriers to disable cellular access for phones flagged as stolen.

The Sanchar Saathi app is chiefly intended to enable users track and locate lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a national database. It also enables them to detect, and terminate, fraudulent mobile connections.

Notable Adoption and Results

With over 5 million downloads since its launch, the software has already helped block more than 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Furthermore, over 30 million illegal connections have also been terminated through its use.

The government claims that the app helps preventing cyberthreats and assists in the locating and blocking of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in recovering handsets and preventing cloned devices out of the illicit trade.