In a notable decision, India's telecommunications ministry has discreetly instructed mobile phone makers to pre-install all new devices with a national cybersecurity application that cannot be deleted. This order, which has been disclosed, is set to concern major technology firms like Apple and prompt questions among consumer watchdogs.
To combat a recent surge of online fraud and device misuse, India is aligning with governments worldwide. This action echoes recent regulations framed in nations like Russia, which aim to prevent the use of lost phones for illicit activities and push government-developed applications.
The latest order applies to leading mobile phone brands active in the Indian market. Among them are Apple, a company that has previously clashed with the telecom authority over comparable applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.
An directive dated 28 November allots phone manufacturers a 90-day period to ensure that the official Sanchar Saathi application is pre-installed on all new mobile phones. A critical stipulation is that consumers will not be able to remove the app.
For phones already in the distribution network, manufacturers are directed to deliver the application via system updates. It is notable that this directive was sent confidentially and was sent selectively to chosen companies.
However, legal experts have flagged major concerns regarding this policy. A lawyer specialising in tech matters commented that India's step is a worrying development.
“The government in essence erodes user consent as a genuine choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on digital advocacy matters.
Digital rights groups had also criticised a similar mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored communication called Max to be pre-installed on phones.
India, one of the world's biggest telephone markets, boasts over 1.2 billion subscribers. Government figures reveal that the cybersecurity application, introduced in January, has already assisted in locating more than 700,000 stolen phones, with an estimated 50,000 found in October by itself.
The government states that the app is vital to combat the “grave endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which enable illicit activities and network misuse.
Apple's iOS runs on an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the rest using Android, according to market research. While Apple includes its own first-party apps on its devices, its internal rules reportedly ban the installation of any third-party app before the sale of a smartphone.
“Apple has in the past declined such demands from governments,” noted Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.
“It’s expected to seek a negotiated solution: rather than a forced inclusion, they might negotiate and propose an option to prompt users towards downloading the application.”
Requests for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unanswered. India’s telecommunications ministry also remained silent.
The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number unique to each handset. It is primarily used by operators to cut off cellular access for phones reported as stolen.
The Sanchar Saathi application is primarily intended to enable users track and track missing phones across all mobile carriers, using a national database. It also allows them to spot, and terminate, unauthorised mobile connections.
With over 5 million installs since its launch, the software has already been used to disable over 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Additionally, over 30 million illegal connections have also been disconnected through its use.
The government asserts that the tool aids in preventing digital threats and assists in the tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in tracing devices and keeping counterfeits out of the illicit trade.
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