🔗 Share this article

In a significant decision, India's telecoms authority has discreetly directed smartphone companies to pre-install all new phones with a national cybersecurity app that must remain installed. This mandate, which was revealed, is set to alarm leading technology firms like Apple and raise questions among consumer watchdogs.

A Worldwide Shift in Cybersecurity Policy

In tackling a recent surge of online fraud and hacking, The Indian authorities is aligning with regulators worldwide. This action mirrors similar rules enacted in nations like Russia, which aim to prevent the use of lost phones for scams and promote state-backed service apps.

What Companies Are Affected by the Directive?

The recent order applies to key mobile phone companies operating in the Indian market. Among them are Apple, a company that has in the past clashed with the telecom authority over similar applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Details of the Government Mandate

An order dated 28 November gives phone companies a three-month deadline to ensure that the government's "Messenger Friend" app is pre-installed on all new mobile phones. A key condition is that consumers will not be able to remove the software.

For handsets already in the supply chain, manufacturers are directed to deliver the application via system patches. It is important that this directive was privately circulated and was communicated in confidence to chosen firms.

Privacy Apprehensions Voiced

However, legal analysts have expressed serious apprehensions regarding this decision. A lawyer focusing in technology law stated that India's directive is a reason to worry.

“The government effectively erodes user consent as a genuine choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on internet rights issues.

Digital rights groups had previously condemned a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a state-backed messenger called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Scale of the Domestic Smartphone Landscape

India, one of the world's largest mobile markets, boasts over 1.2 billion subscribers. Government data show that the cybersecurity application, introduced in January, has reportedly assisted in recovering over 700,000 lost phones, with approximately 50,000 recovered in October alone.

The authorities contends that the software is vital to tackle the “significant endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from cloned or spoofed IMEI numbers, which are used for illicit activities and system misuse.

Apple's Stance

Apple's iOS runs on an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per industry analysis. While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary applications on its devices, its company policies reportedly prohibit the inclusion of any third-party app before the purchase of a device.

“Apple has traditionally refused such requests from governments,” noted Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s probable to seek a compromise: instead of a mandatory pre-install, they might negotiate and propose an option to nudge users towards installing the app.”

Queries for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecoms department also did not respond.

Understanding the IMEI and the App's Function

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number assigned to each mobile device. It is most commonly used by carriers to disable cellular access for phones flagged as lost.

The Sanchar Saathi application is mainly intended to enable users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all telecom networks, using a national database. It also allows them to spot, and disconnect, unauthorised mobile connections.

Impressive Adoption and Outcomes

With more than 5 million installs since its release, the app has already been used to disable over 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Moreover, over 30 million illegal connections have also been disconnected through its use.

The authorities claims that the software aids in combating digital threats and helps in the tracking and disabling of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in tracing devices and keeping cloned devices out of the illicit trade.