Government withdraws mandatory Sanchar Saathi pre-installation on phones after backlash

The Ministry of Communications on Wednesday (December 3, 2025) reversed its decision to mandate pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones, just days after the order sparked widespread criticism from digital rights groups and opposition parties.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had on Monday issued a directive requiring phone manufacturers to pre-install the cybersecurity app on all devices from March 2026 onwards, citing concerns over handsets with duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers posing threats to telecom security.

However, facing intense pushback over privacy and surveillance concerns, the Government announced it would no longer enforce the mandatory pre-installation requirement.

Surge in downloads cited as reason

In a press release, the Government attributed the policy reversal to the app’s “increasing acceptance” among users. Officials said the Sanchar Saathi app witnessed a dramatic surge in adoption following the initial announcement, with 6 lakh new registrations recorded in a single day — a tenfold increase in uptake.

“Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” the release stated.

The app, launched in 2023 as a portal for citizens to report suspicious phone calls and cyber fraud, currently has 1.4 crore users who collectively report approximately 2,000 fraud incidents daily.

Privacy concerns sparked Opposition

The mandatory pre-installation order had drawn sharp criticism from digital rights advocates and opposition parties, who raised concerns about potential government surveillance and infringement on user choice.

The government defended the app in its statement, insisting it is “secure and purely meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world” with no other function beyond user protection. Officials emphasised that users could uninstall the app at any time.