🔗 Share this article The Indian government Directs Smartphone Producers to Include Devices with State-Owned Cybersecurity App In a notable move, India's telecoms department has privately instructed mobile phone makers to include all new devices with a national cybersecurity application that must remain installed. This directive, which has come to light, is set to concern leading tech companies like Apple and raise concerns among consumer watchdogs. A Worldwide Trend in Cybersecurity Regulation Addressing a growing wave of digital scams and hacking, The Indian authorities is following governments across the globe. This step echoes similar measures framed in countries like Russia, which are designed to prevent the use of lost phones for fraud and push state-backed tools. What Manufacturers Are Impacted by the Directive? The recent mandate affects major smartphone brands active in the domestic market. Among them are Apple, which has in the past clashed with regulators over comparable applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi. The Fine Print of the Official Mandate An directive dated 28 November gives phone manufacturers a 90-day period to ensure that the official "Messenger Friend" app is included on all new mobile phones. A notable condition is that owners cannot disable the application. For devices currently in the retail pipeline, makers are required to deliver the app via software updates. It is notable that this directive was sent confidentially and was dispatched privately to select manufacturers. Privacy Worries Expressed However, legal analysts have raised major worries regarding this move. A lawyer specialising in technology law stated that India's step is a worrying development. “The government in essence eliminates user consent as a genuine choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on digital advocacy matters. Digital rights groups had earlier criticised a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored communication called Max to be included on phones. The Scale of the Indian Smartphone Landscape India, among the world's largest telephone markets, boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users. Government data reveal that the Sanchar Saathi application, introduced in January, has reportedly helped locating more than 700,000 stolen phones, with an estimated 50,000 recovered in October by itself. The government states that the software is essential to fight the “serious endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from fake or spoofed IMEI numbers, which facilitate fraud and system misuse. Apple's Likely Response Apple's iOS runs on an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per market research. While Apple pre-installs its own first-party apps on its devices, its company policies are said to forbid the inclusion of any third-party application before the sale of a smartphone. “Apple has in the past declined such mandates from authorities,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint. “It’s expected to aim for a negotiated solution: instead of a forced inclusion, they might negotiate and propose an alternative to nudge users towards installing the application.” Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unresponded. India’s telecoms ministry also offered no comment. The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Purpose The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number assigned to each handset. It is primarily used by networks to cut off cellular access for phones reported as lost. The Sanchar Saathi app is primarily intended to enable users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a national database. It also lets them to spot, and disconnect, illegal mobile connections. Impressive Adoption and Results With over 5 million installs since its launch, the software has reportedly been used to block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Moreover, over 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated through its use. The authorities asserts that the software aids in preventing cyberthreats and assists in the tracking and disabling of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in tracing handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the illicit trade.