Govt Proposes Mandatory Source Code Disclosure By Smartphone Makers; Apple, Samsung Push Back: Report

The government has proposed mandatory disclosure of source code by all smartphone makers as part of a major cybersecurity push, a report said on Sunday, citing persons privy to the development.

The changes, which would also require smartphone makers to alert the government before releasing any software update, have received a pushback from tech majors including Apple and Samsung, the Reuters report said.

The raft of security measures being mulled over by Indian authorities mandate phone manufacturers to rejig their software, in order to allow the deletion of pre-installed apps, the report said, citing documents. The changes should enable blocking all apps from using cameras and microphones in the background, in order to avoid potentially malicious usage.

The proposals, if enacted, could result in automatic scanning on phones at periodic intervals for malware detection, according to the report. The measures also require devices to maintain digital records of 12 months of system activity.

The measures, first drafted in 2023, could be imposed legally if the government decides to go ahead with the same. Officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and executives of major tech companies are expected to discuss the security standards in a meeting on Tuesday, Reuters said.

There was no official statement issued by MeitY at the time of publishing this report. The smartphone makers were also yet to publicly react to the news report.

Notably, the most sensitive among the mandates being mulled over is the new Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements, which could grant authorities the access to source code, which is the set of programming guidelines that make smartphones work. These codes would be possibly tested at designated Indian labs, the news agency reported, citing the documents it accessed.

Smartphone makers, including Apple and Samsung, have marked their opposition as the measures being considered risk revealing proprietary details, and lack any global precedent, sources told Reuters.

Notably, China's Xiaomi holds 19% market share in India, whereas South Korea's Samsung holds 15%, according to CounterPoint Research estimates. The iPhone-maker, Apple, has a share of 5%.

The security overhaul is seen as part of the government's vision to prevent cyber fraud. India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market, is seen as vulnerable to data breaches and online frauds.

In December 2025, the government mulled over mandating a state-run cyber safety app on smartphones. The plan, however, was revoked amid mounting concerns related to "surveillance".

The India Cellular and Electronics Association, reacting to the developments surrounding the new security overhaul, said it is completely normal for the government to engage industry in such discussions.

This is a normal practice where authorities ask technical and compliance questions and for the industry to respond with international practises and what might be possible or not, ICEA Pankaj Mohindroo said.

"We are satisfied with the way the discussions are proceeding. There is no pressing concern as this is the very nature of transparent and in-depth consultation with specific stakeholders," he added.