The BRICS TimesThe government’s move to combat cybercrime with the Sanchar Saathi mobile app faced serious industry and privacy pushback.
Following massive criticism, the Centre has withdrawn its order. The order made Sanchar Saathi pre-installation mandatory. Privacy advocates, cybersecurity experts, and the opposition all raised strong objections. The Ministry of Communications released a statement on Wednesday. It said the mandate was recalled due to the app’s “increasing acceptance.”
The Modi government launched the Sanchar Saathi portal in May 2023. This portal helps citizens check mobile connections linked to their IDs. They can also report fraud, scams, and trace lost phones. The Sanchar Saathi mobile application was launched earlier this year. It helps the government in its efforts to combat cybercrime.
Why the Centre Scrapped the Mandatory Order
The government wanted to tackle rising cybercrime cases in India. Therefore, it told smartphone companies to pre-install the app. This pre-installation was required on all new smartphones. This requirement sparked a major controversy. The mandate stated that users could not disable or uninstall the application. Many critics called this an infringement on the fundamental right to privacy.
The original pre-installation order was issued on November 28. The directive clearly said users should not be able to remove or disable the app. The government claims it withdrew the order due to the app’s “increasing popularity.” However, people close to the matter have a different story.
Sources told BRICS Times that the Department of Telecommunications faced “too much pressure.” This pressure came from the industry to recall the directive. The source also mentioned one key issue. “Once they conceded that the app can be removed by the user, it became obvious that anyone intending to commit fraud would simply delete it.” The source added, “They also did not anticipate such strong pushback, similar to the criticism they faced with the AI advisory in March 2024.”
Sources further indicated an internal conflict. The Centre informally consulted legal firms about the mandate. These firms reportedly advised that the directive was not constitutionally sound. Additionally, Reuters cited sources who stated that major smartphone makers Apple and Samsung refused to comply. They did not follow the government order to pre-install Sanchar Saathi.
Centre’s Defense of Sanchar Saathi
The government defended the app after widespread backlash. It clarified that users could delete Sanchar Saathi if they wished. But new concerns arose about it being a “snooping tool.” Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia responded in the Lok Sabha. He said the application does not access a user’s personal data. Using the app for “snooping” is “not possible,” he confirmed. Scindia stated during the question hour, “Snooping is neither possible nor will happen with the Sanchar Saathi app.”
