🔗 Share this article India Directs Smartphone Makers to Include Devices with State-Owned Cybersecurity App In a notable move, India's telecoms authority has confidentially asked mobile phone manufacturers to include all new handsets with a government-backed cybersecurity tool that must remain installed. This mandate, which was revealed, is likely to concern major technology firms like Apple and raise questions among digital rights groups. A Global Shift in Cybersecurity Policy To combat a recent surge of digital scams and phone theft, India is following authorities worldwide. This step parallels similar rules framed in nations like Russia, which aim to block the use of lost phones for scams and promote state-backed applications. Which Manufacturers Are Impacted by the Order? The new order affects key smartphone companies active in the Indian market. This encompasses Apple, which has in the past locked horns with regulators over similar apps, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi. Specifics of the Official Order An order dated 28 November allots smartphone manufacturers a 90-day window to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi application is factory-loaded on all new handsets. A key condition is that owners are prevented from deleting the app. For handsets currently in the distribution network, manufacturers are required to deliver the application via software updates. It is notable that this order was not made public and was communicated in confidence to chosen firms. Digital Rights Apprehensions Voiced However, legal specialists have flagged major concerns regarding this policy. A legal expert focusing in technology matters stated that India's step is a cause for concern. “The government in essence erodes user consent as a meaningful choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital rights matters. Consumer organisations had earlier criticised a similar requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed communication app to be pre-installed on phones. The Size of the Indian Market India, among the world's biggest mobile markets, boasts over 1.2 billion subscribers. Official data indicate that the cybersecurity application, introduced in January, has reportedly helped locating over 700,000 stolen phones, with approximately 50,000 recovered in October by itself. The authorities argues that the software is vital to fight the “serious endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which are used for illicit activities and system misuse. The Tech Giant's Position Apple's iOS runs on an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the rest using Android, as per market research. While Apple includes its own proprietary apps on its devices, its internal guidelines are said to prohibit the inclusion of any government application before the purchase of a device. “Apple has traditionally refused these kinds of requests from authorities,” noted Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint. “It’s probable to aim for a middle ground: instead of a compulsory inclusion, they might discuss and ask for an alternative to prompt users towards installing the application.” Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unanswered. India’s telecoms department also did not respond. The Role of the IMEI and the App's Function The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number unique to each handset. It is typically used by operators to disable network access for phones reported as stolen. The government app is chiefly created to enable users track and track lost or stolen phones across all telecom networks, using a national database. It also enables them to identify, and block, fraudulent mobile connections. Impressive Adoption and Results With more than 5 million installs since its release, the software has already helped disable over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Moreover, more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been disconnected through its use. The government states that the app helps combating cyberthreats and assists in the locating and disabling of missing phones, thereby aiding police in tracing handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the black market.