India reverses decision to preinstall cybersecurity app on smartphones

NEW DELHI (AP) Indias telecommunications ministry has reversed its earlier decision requiring smartphone manufacturers to preinstall a government-operated cybersecurity application on new devices.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Communications instructed phone makers to embed the Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones within 90 days and ensure that users could not disable it. The directive also demanded that older devices receive the app via a software update.

The announcement sparked significant backlash, raising concerns about privacy rights and user consent in one of the worlds largest mobile markets. The mandate conflicted with the policies of companies like Apple, which does not allow third-party applications, even government-developed ones, to be preinstalled on its devices.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry highlighted that 600,000 new users had downloaded the app in the previous day. Despite this uptake, officials stated that preinstallation would no longer be compulsory for manufacturers.

The app is secure and solely intended to protect citizens from cyber threats. It serves no other purpose than user protection, and users can uninstall it at any time, the ministry said.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Indias telecom minister, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, described the app as voluntary following criticism from privacy advocates who warned that mandatory installation could compromise user consent and privacy.

Launched in January, the Sanchar Saathi app allows users to block and track lost or stolen phones and to identify and disable fraudulent mobile connections. Government data indicates that the app has been downloaded over 14 million times since its release.

Author: Natalie Monroe