The telecom ministry has “privately” asked smartphone makers to preload every new device with the state-owned cyber security app Sanchar Saathi, according to a government order seen by Reuters.
The order dated 28 November gives companies 90 days to ensure that the Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new phones and that users cannot disable it. For devices already in the supply chain, the order requires manufacturers to push the app to phones via software updates.
Government figures show the Sanchar Saathi app, launched in January, has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone, per Reuters.
The move could spark a tussle with Apple, which typically dislikes such directives, Reuters said.
Apple pre-installs its own proprietary apps on phones and its internal policies prohibit installation of any government or third-party app before sale, Reuters quoted a source as saying.
Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi did not respond to Reuters’s requests for comment, neither did . the telecom ministry.
It quoted two anonymous industry sources saying that they “were concerned there had been no consultation with companies before the order was issued.”
The government order said the app was essential to combat "serious endangerment" of telecom cyber security from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable scams and network misuse.
A 14- to 17-digit number unique to each handset, the IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is most commonly used to cut off network access for phones reported to have been stolen.
The government app allows users to report suspicious calls, verify IMEIs and block stolen devices through a central registry.
With more than 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones, while more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been terminated.
The government says it helps prevent cyber threats and assists tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones, helping police to trace devices, while keeping counterfeits out of the black market.
In a November 24 order, the Department of Telecom said mobile subscribers may be held liable if a SIM card procured in their name is found to have been misused for cyber fraud or other illegal activities.
"The government has also implemented the Sanchar Saathi initiative, providing digital tools for citizens to verify and secure their mobile connections,” it said.