But the order, especially the part about the app being non-disableable, sparked a public backlash.
Govt Orders Sanchar Saathi Pre-Installed on All Smartphones — Users Can Delete, Says Minister
The government’s cyber-security app Sanchar Saathi is again in headlines as a recent directive asked all smartphone manufacturers to pre-install it on every phone sold in India. The focus is on making it easier for users to report suspicious calls or messages, block lost or stolen phones via IMEI tracking, check connections registered in their name, and verify device genuineness, the report said.
Under the new policy, all new phones must ship with Sanchar Saathi already installed and visible on first use, and devices already in circulation must get the app via a software update. According to the government’s Department of Telecommunications, this will help curb telecom fraud and misuse of fake or cloned IMEIs and make reporting easier for users.
But the order, especially the part about the app being non-disableable, sparked a public backlash. According to the Hindustan Times, there was huge concern over whether users will have any control over what resides on their personal devices.
In response to the uproar, the communications minister said that, “If you don’t want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it,” calling installation a matter of convenience, not compulsion. This statement seems to reverse an earlier interpretation of the directive, which had told companies that the app “should not be deletable”.
That contradiction between official directive language and the minister’s clarification lies at the heart of the controversy. On one hand, the government argues that Sanchar Saathi serves a public interest: a single tool to report fraud, block stolen phones, and prevent the counterfeit/resale of black-market handsets. On the other hand, critics warn it may constitute forced installation of a government-run app on private devices, raising serious concerns about user consent, privacy, and control.
For a country where smartphones are now deeply woven into everyday life, it is more than a technical issue: it’s about digital rights and citizens’ control over their devices.
Source: Hindustan Times, Times of India
