Priyanka Gandhi Calls Centre's Move To Mandate Phone Makers To Pre-Install Sanchar Saathi "Dictatorship"
New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has decided to mandate the smart phone makers the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi application in all mobile handsets manufactured or imported in India.
The government has reportedly given 90 days to the companies to comply with the rule. The ministry of Communications asked all the smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo, to pre-install the government-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices sold in the country.
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The order was sent privately to phone makers rather than issued publicly, as per a report by news agency Reuters. It also requires manufacturers to roll out software updates to install the app on devices already in the supply chain.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi today, December, 2 slammed the order stating that there is a fine line between reporting fraud and violating the privacy of individuals, with the recent order doing the latter.
“It’s not just one thing. It is not just snooping on telephones. It is overall, they are turning this country into a dictatorship. You ask me everyday why Parliament is not functioning, it is because they are refusing to talk about anything. It is very easy to blame Opposition, but the fact is they are not allowing discussion on anything,” the Congress MP said while speaking to reporters outside Parliament.
“Sanchar Saathi is a snooping app, and clearly it’s ridiculous. Citizens have the right to privacy. Everyone must have the right to privacy to send messages to family and friends without the government looking at everything. It’s not just snooping on the telephone. They’re turning this country into a dictatorship in every form,” Gandhi stated, noting that the government is refusing to discuss anything.
Sanchar Saathi is a snooping app, and clearly it’s ridiculous. Citizens have the right to privacy. Everyone must have the right to privacy to send messages to family and friends without the government looking at everything.
It’s not just snooping on the telephone. They’re… pic.twitter.com/omw2XlD5pq
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 2, 2025
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She alleged that the rule violates individual privacy. Notably, the directive has sparked immediate concern for Apple, which traditionally resists pre-installation of non-Apple apps and has previously clashed with Indian regulators over similar demands.
Congress leader KC Venugopal also criticised the government for the move, and stated that the party would conduct a meeting to take a stand on the issue.
The directive has sparked immediate concern within the industry, particularly from Apple, which traditionally resists pre-installation of non-Apple apps and has previously clashed with Indian regulators over similar demands. The direction was issued on November 28, claiming to protect citizens from purchasing non-genuine mobile devices, enable easy reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the Sanchar Saathi initiative
