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In a notable decision, India's telecoms authority has confidentially asked smartphone makers to pre-install all new devices with a government-backed cybersecurity app that is non-removable. This mandate, which was revealed, is likely to antagonise major tech companies like Apple and prompt concerns among privacy advocates.

A Global Trend in Cybersecurity Policy

Addressing a growing wave of digital scams and device misuse, India is aligning with authorities across the globe. This move echoes recent measures enacted in countries like Russia, which are designed to block the use of stolen phones for fraud and push official service apps.

Which Manufacturers Are Affected by the Order?

The new order binds key smartphone companies active in the Indian market. This encompasses Apple, which has previously locked horns with the telecom authority over similar apps, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Official Mandate

An directive dated 28 November allots phone manufacturers a three-month deadline to ensure that the government's "Messenger Friend" app is factory-loaded on all new devices. A key condition is that owners will not be able to remove the software.

For devices currently in the retail pipeline, manufacturers are instructed to send the app via system upgrades. It is worth mentioning that this order was sent confidentially and was dispatched privately to select firms.

Digital Rights Apprehensions Raised

However, legal experts have flagged major apprehensions regarding this move. A legal expert specialising in tech law stated that India's step is a reason to worry.

“The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on internet rights matters.

Privacy advocates had previously condemned a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored messenger called Max to be included on phones.

The Scale of the Indian Smartphone Landscape

India, among the world's largest mobile markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion connections. Official figures show that the Sanchar Saathi app, launched in January, has already helped recovering more than 700,000 lost phones, with around 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The authorities argues that the app is essential to fight the “significant endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which enable fraud and system misuse.

The Tech Giant's Stance

Apple's iOS runs on an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the vast majority using Android, according to industry analysis. While Apple includes its own first-party applications on its devices, its internal policies are said to prohibit the installation of any government app before the sale of a smartphone.

“Apple has historically refused these kinds of demands from governments,” noted Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to pursue a middle ground: rather than a compulsory pre-install, they might negotiate and propose an option to prompt users towards downloading the application.”

Requests for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unresponded. India’s telecoms ministry also offered no comment.

The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Function

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number assigned to each handset. It is typically used by carriers to block cellular access for phones flagged as stolen.

The Sanchar Saathi application is chiefly designed to help users block and locate missing smartphones across all mobile carriers, using a central registry. It also lets them to detect, and terminate, fraudulent mobile connections.

Impressive Usage and Results

With over 5 million downloads since its release, the app has reportedly been used to block over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Additionally, over 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated through its use.

The government asserts that the software aids in preventing cyberthreats and assists in the locating and disabling of missing phones, thereby helping police in tracing devices and keeping counterfeits out of the black market.