It raised concerns among privacy advocates and civil society groups.
Govt Withdraws Mandatory Sanchar Saathi Installation Order: DoT Says App Now Voluntary
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has withdrawn its directive that mandated pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones. The original directive that was issued on November 28, 2025, required every phone sold in India to come with the state-backed cybersecurity app pre-installed and also asked manufacturers to push it to existing devices via update.
On December 3, in a new press release, the government said that the decision to revoke the mandate was taken because the app has already witnessed “increasing acceptance” among citizens: over 1.4 crore users have downloaded it, and there was a ten-fold jump in voluntary installations in a single day.
In parliament Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that the app will remain available to those who want to install it, but it will no longer be forced or mandatory on every device. He rejected allegations that Sanchar Saathi could be used for snooping or call monitoring. According to the minister, the app is purely for helping citizens to protect against telecom-related fraud, and users are free to delete it if and whenever they want to choose to.
The original DoT directive had mandated not only pre-installation but also stipulated that the app must be “readily visible and accessible” at first use and that its functionalities not be disabled or restricted. It raised concerns among privacy advocates and civil society groups.
With the rollback, the government argues that the objective of increased access to cybersecurity tools has been achieved and that continued mandatory installation is no longer needed.
For users across India, this means Sanchar Saathi shifts from being an imposed feature to a voluntary service: those who want additional protection against fraud, lost or stolen phones, or bogus connections can install it, but it is not mandatory to keep the app. The reversal marks not just a policy U-turn but a response to public concern over digital privacy and user consent.
Source: Hindustan Times
