Amid massive backlash over it’s recent forced app install policy, India’s Department of Telecommunications has rolled back it’s earlier order, that mandated smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the government’s Sanchar Saathi app on every new device. Authorities pitched the measure as a cybersecurity upgrade for a country battling widespread SIM fraud and mobile identity scams, but the mandate immediately collided with public scepticism, fueled by privacy concerns and fears of covert surveillance. Tensions escalated further when Apple became the first major company to openly oppose the requirement. In response to the growing backlash, the government stepped in with urgent clarifications, insisting that the app is not compulsory to keep and carries no hidden monitoring features.
It has now however, completely rolled back that order.
Along with public distrust, resistance from the Cupertino-headquartered company quickly emerged as the focal point of the controversy. The tech titan, which rarely challenges government directives publicly, signalled that it can not comply with any policy requiring mandatory pre-installation of government-created software on iPhones. Its stance is anchored in a strict global rule that third-party or state apps can not be embedded into the iOS setup flow without explicit user consent. According to recent reports, Apple is planning to engage with the government over the Sanchar Saathi app mandate to explore a possible middle ground.
The Tim Cook-led firm reportedly argues that allowing such an app to appear automatically on every device would undermine the privacy and security architecture of iOS and could set a precedent that other governments might try to replicate. Apple’s pushback becomes particularly critical given that the firm is now estimated to command almost 8% of India’s smartphone market share. In the first half of 2025 alone, the company shipped 5.9 million iPhones in the country, according to IDC.
Meanwhile, the government’s responses so far have attempted to defuse the situation rather than escalate it. Faced with rising public anxiety and political criticism, the Communications Minister of India acted quickly to reassure citizens that Sanchar Saathi is not a surveillance tool and that its pre-installation does not mean it must remain on the device. Officials stressed that users can delete the app freely and that its permissions are limited to functions like IMEI verification, reporting scam calls, and identifying unauthorized SIMs.
Despite these explanations, public concern has not fully subsided. At the same time, political opposition parties argue that cybersecurity tools should be offered as voluntary downloads, not forced onto devices by government mandate, and have called for the policy to be withdrawn or substantially revised. While smartphone companies reportedly have a 90-day compliance window, many are concerned that accepting a single government app could set a precedent for future demands, both in India and in other international markets.
The Tech Portal is published by Blue Box Media Private Limited. Our investors have no influence over our reporting. Read our full Ownership and Funding Disclosure →
