Sanchar Saathi App Is Optional And Not Mandatory, Says Jyotiraditya Scindia

Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has clarified that the Sanchar Saathi app is not mandatory for users.

"The app is completely optional. If you want to delete it, you can. If you don't wish to register, you shouldn’t register and can remove it anytime," Scindia said in conversation with reporters outside the Parliament, adding that the platform does not enable snooping or call monitoring.

The government had earlier mandated that all mobile phone manufacturers and importers 'pre-install' the 'Sanchar Saathi' application on devices sold and used in India. The Department of Telecommunications stated through a public order.

DoT's attempts to mandate the installation of the Sanchar Saathi app is aiming 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.

Manufacturers have been given 90 days to implement these changes and must submit a compliance report within 120 days.

As per the new order, buying a new mobile device - iPhone or Android - will see the government's security app already integrated. The DoT has also stated that the app must be 'readily visible and accessible' to users during the first-time setup of the said device.

The DoT order also prohibits manufacturers from restricting the app's access and functionalities. The government wants the app to not just be present on a mobile device but fully enabled. As such, the government requires OEMs to ensure the software is not 'disabled or restricted'.

The government's directive is largely towards new phone purchases. But for phones already in the system but not yet sold, manufacturers are instructed to push the app via over-the-air software updates.

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.