Sanchar Saathi App: Why It’s Sparking A Privacy Row? (Image: X/mohitlaws)
India’s recent directive requiring all new smartphones to come pre-installed with the government’s Sanchar Saathi app has triggered a nationwide debate on privacy, surveillance, and digital freedom.
The order, issued last week and made public on Monday, gives smartphone manufacturers 90 days to ensure the app is visible, active, and cannot be disabled when users set up their devices.
The government says Sanchar Saathi is designed to protect mobile users, allowing them to verify a phone’s IMEI number, report stolen devices, and flag fraudulent calls or messages.
Also, read| Apple Rejects Centre’s Order To Pre-Install Sanchar Saathi App; Cites Privacy Risk
Officials argue that duplicate or spoofed mobile devices pose a serious cybersecurity risk, especially in India’s massive second-hand phone market. The app has already helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, according to official estimates.
However, the move has sparked sharp criticism from digital rights groups and cybersecurity experts.
The app’s permissions, which include access to calls, messages, camera, photos, and files, have raised concerns about excessive data collection and potential government surveillance.
Outrageous! Wake up INDIA! The Govt’s Sanchar Saathi app mandate is a blatant assault on our privacy & freedom! By forcing it pre-installed on every new phone, not allowing us to uninstall the aap, all under the guise of ‘safety’, the government will potentially have the power to… pic.twitter.com/bMTuVJmzSf
— Tehseen Poonawalla Official 🇮🇳 (@tehseenp) December 1, 2025
Her: I love you
Him: I love you too
Sanchar Saathi App: pic.twitter.com/FWd3Lryy6c
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 2, 2025
Advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation called it “a state-mandated software users cannot meaningfully refuse or remove,” warning that it could turn every smartphone into a monitoring tool.
Also, read| Priyanka Gandhi Calls Centre’s Move To Mandate Phone Makers To Pre-Install Sanchar Saathi “Dictatorship”
Factcheck : This clarification is incorrect. The direction clearly states in Paragraph 7(b) which states that Sanchar Sathi cannot be, “disabled or restricted”.
IFF’s statement : https://t.co/yhnI1jhepZ https://t.co/EMrD2EX0vP pic.twitter.com/P4LYM3OdR8
— Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) (@internetfreedom) December 2, 2025
Facing backlash, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that users would be free to delete the app if they chose not to use it.
देश के हर नागरिक की डिजिटल सुरक्षा हमारी सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता है। ‘संचार साथी’ ऐप का उद्देश्य है कि प्रत्येक व्यक्ति अपनी निजता की रक्षा कर सके और ऑनलाइन ठगी से सुरक्षित रह सके।
यह एक पूरी तरह स्वैच्छिक और लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था है-यूज़र चाहें तो ऐप को सक्रिय कर इसके लाभ ले सकते…
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) December 2, 2025
But people say this contradicts the original order, which states that the app’s functionalities “cannot be disabled or restricted.” The government has not explained how users can remove the app if its core permissions remain mandatory.
Modi Govt’s latest assault on privacy: EVERY new phone in India must now come pre-loaded with its “Sanchar Saathi” surveillance app.
No consent. No opt-out. No public consultation.
Just forced State spyware on every device, with root-level access, all under the excuse of… pic.twitter.com/E56UJD8gGG— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) December 2, 2025
Tech analysts note that compliance may be difficult for global manufacturers like Apple, which typically does not allow pre-installation of government apps.
Reports suggest Apple may formally raise concerns with the Indian government.
