The Sanchar Saathi app can be deleted by users if they so want, Union minister for communications Jyotiraditya Scindia was quoted as saying on Tuesday morning after news of the instructions to mobile phone manufacturers to mandatorily preload the government app sparked outrage.
"... If you don't want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional,” Scindia was quoted as saying by ANI.
“It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it in their devices or not is up to the user,” he added.
The government order on Sanchar Saathi was reported by Reuters on Monday. It had said that the order dated 28 November gives companies 90 days to ensure that the 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, Reuters had reported after perusing the order.
The news of the mandatory app on Tuesday sparked angry reactions from the Opposition and the social media user alike, with political parties likening it to a Big Brother move.
The PIB release on the government order was dated 1 December. This is what it said:
“In order to safeguard the citizens from buying the non-genuine handsets, enabling easy reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources and to increase effectiveness of the Sanchar Saathi initiative, the DoT has issued Directions dated 28.11.2025 mandating the manufacturer and importers of mobile handsets that are intended for use in India under the provisions of the Telecom Cyber Security to:
“Ensure that the Sanchar Saathi mobile application is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India.
“Ensure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted.
“For all such devices that have been already been manufactured and are in sales channels in India, the manufacturer and importers of mobile handsets shall make an endeavour to push the App through software updates.
“Directions mandates to complete the implementation in 90 days and submit the report in 120 days,” it said.
