Govt Repeals Order On Mandatory Pre-Installation Of Sanchar Saathi App

The government has repealed an order mandating pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on smartphones sold in the country, according to a Telecom Ministry press release issued on Wednesday.

This comes a day after Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that the use of app will be voluntary, with users free to delete it whenever they want.

The initial order which came on Nov. 28 had mandated that all mobile phone manufacturers and importers 'pre-install' the 'Sanchar Saathi' in application on devices sold and used in India.

Manufacturers were given 90 days to implement these changes and had to submit a compliance report within 120 days.

The government's push for mandating the installation of the Sanchar Saathi app came as it aims to curb digital fraud and rising cases of digital arrests, as well as the sale of counterfeit devices in the nation's massive secondary smartphone market.

Privacy Concerns

The government's directive had also prohibited manufacturers from allowing users to delete or deactivate the app, which has led to immediate concerns over privacy violations.

Veteran congress leader Shashi Tharoor also criticised the move and said the Centre should have reported this decision to the general public and get their opinion instead of the latter finding out through media reports. "We need to have a discussion where the government reports the idea behind the decision," Tharoor stated.

Also, the Opposition Congress entirely opposed the pre-installation of the government's app on smartphones, calling it a "snooping app".

Why The Push for Sanchar Saathi

The primary goal for Sanchaar Saathi is to help citizens verify the genuineness of a handset through the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number before purchase.

This comes against the backdrop of India being a large second-hand market, where stolen or blacklisted devices are frequently resold, potentially making unsuspecting buyers accessories to crimes.

The mobile app would allow users to.

1. Report lost or stolen handsets.

2. Identify mobile connections registered in their name to detect fraud.

3. Access trusted contact details for financial institutions.