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Apple vs. India: Why Tech Giant Resists Mandatory Sanchar Saathi App

Apple is gearing up to push back against a new Indian government directive. The rule requires phone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app to help track stolen devices. This has caused quite a political stir, with opposition parties raising questions. The government insists the app is crucial for telecom cybersecurity and curbing fraud.

Key Points: Apple to Resist India's Mandatory Sanchar Saathi App Preload

  • Apple will convey its concerns to the Indian government over the preload mandate
  • The government aims to track stolen phones and prevent misuse via the app
  • The order gives manufacturers 90 days to comply with the new rules
  • The move has sparked political uproar, with the Opposition questioning its motives
3 min read

Apple to resist India government order to preload Sanchar Saathi app on mobiles: Reuters report

Apple plans to challenge India's order to preload the Sanchar Saathi app on phones, citing concerns amid a political debate over the mandate.

"Apple does not plan to comply with the mandate to preload mobile handsets with the 'Sanchar Saathi' app - Reuters report"

New Delhi, December 2

Apple does not plan to comply with the mandate to preload mobile handsets with the 'Sanchar Saathi' app and will convey its concerns before the Indian government, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing three unnamed sources.

The government's move regarding the 'Sanchar Saathi' app sparked political uproar, with the Opposition questioning the government's motives.

According to the Reuters report, the Indian government has "confidentially" ordered companies, including Apple, to preload their phones with the app, within 90 days.

The app, according to the government, is intended to track stolen phones, block them, and prevent their misuse.

To safeguard the citizens from buying the non-genuine handsets, enabling easy reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources and to increase the effectiveness of the Sanchar Saathi initiative, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has mandated some norms for the manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets that are intended for use in India.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Communications on Monday, manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets have been asked to ensure that the Sanchar Saathi mobile application is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India.

The mobile handsets must have pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup, and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted, the Ministry of Communications said in a statement Monday evening.

For all such devices that have already been manufactured and are in sales channels in India, the manufacturer and importers of mobile handsets shall endeavour to push the App through software updates.

Directions mandate completing the implementation within 90 days and submitting the report within 120 days.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is undertaking the Sanchar Saathi initiative for curbing the misuse of telecom resources for cyber fraud and ensuring telecom cyber security.

DoT has developed the Sanchar Saathi portal and App, which enables citizens to check the genuineness of a mobile handset through the IMEI number, along with other facilities like reporting suspected fraudulent communications, lost/ stolen mobile handsets, checking mobile connections in their name, and trusted contact details of banks/ financial institutions.

The Telecom Cyber Security (TCS) rules empower the central government to issue directions to manufacturers of telecommunication equipment bearing an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number to provide assistance as required in relation to tampered telecommunication equipment or IMEI number.

The Rules also mandate that such manufacturers or importers shall ensure compliance with the directions as may be issued by the Central Government for the purpose of giving effect to the rules.

"Mobile handsets bearing duplicate or spoofed IMEI pose serious endangerment to telecom cybersecurity. Spoofed/tampered IMEIs in tthe elecom network leads to situation where same IMEI is working in different devices at different places simultaneously and pose challenges in action against such IMEIs. India has big second-hand mobile device market," the Ministry of Communications said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Actually, I think the government has a point here. The second-hand phone market is huge and full of scams. If this app can genuinely help track stolen phones and reduce cyber fraud, it's a welcome step for consumer protection. 🇮🇳
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Aman W
Typical corporate arrogance. Apple follows different rules in every country. If they want to sell in India, they should comply with Indian regulations meant for our safety. No company is above the law of the land.
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Sarah B
As an expat living here, I see both sides. The duplicate IMEI problem is real and causes issues. But the implementation matters. Will the app have proper data safeguards? A transparent public consultation would have been better than a confidential order.
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Vikram M
Why not make it available on the App Store and promote it heavily? Forcing it as bloatware will just make people resent it. My Android phone already has too many apps I never use from the manufacturer. Apple's clean OS is a selling point.
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Nisha Z
The opposition is right to question the motive. Why the secrecy? If it's for public good, announce it openly. This "confidential order" business smells fishy. Hope Apple's concerns lead to a more transparent process.

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