India Reverses Mandatory Sanchar Saathi Pre-installation Following Widespread Backlash

New Delhi – The Indian government has withdrawn its directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity application on all new devices, a decision that follows intense public and political opposition. Union Minister for Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, clarified that the app remains optional for users, emphasizing that it can be deleted at any time.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had issued a directive on November 28, 2025, under the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, making the pre-installation mandatory. This move was intended to combat mobile-related cyber threats, help track lost phones, and prevent fraud, with the government citing the app's role in recovering over 700,000 lost phones and blocking millions of fraudulent connections.

However, the mandate quickly ignited a firestorm of criticism from privacy advocates, opposition parties, and mobile manufacturers. Concerns centered on potential surveillance, data privacy violations, and the constitutional validity of forcing a state-backed application onto every smartphone. Critics argued that the directive could grant authorities excessive visibility into users’ devices.

In response to the growing outcry, Minister Scindia addressed the Lok Sabha, stating, "Snooping is neither possible, nor will it ever be" through the Sanchar Saathi app. He asserted that the app does not activate without user registration and that citizens retain full autonomy to use or uninstall it. The government's official statement attributed the reversal to the app's "increasing acceptance," noting a significant surge of 600,000 new registrations in a single day following the controversy.

The swift government U-turn has been widely seen as a direct consequence of the public's strong reaction and the collective expression of "zero confidence in this app," as noted by social media commentator Piyush Bodaa. Bodaa, in a recent tweet, criticized certain journalists for providing "intellectual cover to the government" by echoing the narrative that the decision was based on the app's acceptance rather than being "FORCED" by public sentiment. Digital rights groups, while welcoming the reversal, have urged caution, awaiting formal notification to manufacturers and revised legal orders.