‘You can delete it’: Minister clarifies mandatory pre-installation of 'Sanchar Saathi' app in all phones

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday clarified that users will not be compelled to keep the government-backed Sanchar Saathi app on their smartphones, days after the Centre directed all manufacturers to pre-install the application on devices sold in India.

"If you want to delete it, then delete it. But not everyone in the country knows that this app exists to protect them from fraud and theft," Scindia said.

"It is our responsibility to make this app reach everyone. If you want to delete it, then delete it. If you don't want to use it, then don't register it. If you register it, then it will remain active. If you don't register it, then it will remain inactive," he added.

The clarification followed a November 28 directive in which the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ordered all smartphone makers and importers to ensure that Sanchar Saathi is pre-installed, visible, functional and enabled during initial device setup.

The order also specified that app features “cannot be disabled or restricted” by manufacturers, raising questions about user control and prompting pushback from privacy advocates.

The mandate, applicable to all devices manufactured or imported for sale in India, requires companies to complete implementation within 90 days and submit a compliance report within 120 days. The DoT also asked firms to “make an endeavour” to push the app via software updates to devices already produced and in the sales pipeline.

The government's press release said the app can help tackle incidents of duplicated or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable scams and network misuse.

"India has big second-hand mobile device market," the telecom ministry said in a statement late on Monday. "Cases have also been observed where stolen or blacklisted devices are being re-sold."

A Reuters report on Tuesday suggested that Apple does not plan to comply with the mandate to preload its smartphones with a state-owned cyber safety app and will convey its concerns to New Delhi.