India scraps mandatory preloading of Sanchar Saathi app on smartphones

India has withdrawn an order requiring smartphone makers to pre-install its state-run cyber safety app, Sanchar Saathi, following public backlash over privacy concerns. The order, issued last week, had required phones to come with the app fully enabled and non-removable.

The government initially argued the app was necessary to verify handset authenticity, but cybersecurity experts and companies like Apple and Samsung opposed the mandate, citing privacy and lack of consultation.

So far, 14 million users have voluntarily downloaded the app, reporting 2,000 fraud cases daily, with 600,000 new registrations on Tuesday alone. Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia assured that the app would not be used for surveillance, while digital advocacy groups welcomed the reversal but called for formal legal confirmation of the withdrawal.