India revokes state-run security app order for smartphones

The government on Wednesday said it has withdrawn the mandate requiring mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones, citing a sharp rise in voluntary user registrations and growing public trust in the platform.

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The Ministry of Communications said the app -- designed to protect citizens from cyber fraud and telecom-related crimes -- has been gaining strong acceptance, making a compulsory installation rule unnecessary.

“So far, 1.4 crore users have downloaded Sanchar Saathi, helping report nearly 2,000 fraud incidents every day,” the ministry said.

“In the last 24 hours alone, six lakh citizens registered to download the app, marking a tenfold jump in its uptake,” it added.

The government said the mandate was originally intended to ensure that less-aware citizens also had access to cybersecurity tools.