Centre may turn...

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“THE SAME OUTREACH can be done at scale without tying the app to hardware,” executives said, adding that handset firms are willing to send similar messages to users.

Apple and Samsung believe the government is likely to accept the suggestion and convert the mandate into an advisory. Apple and Samsung as well as other handset manufacturers did not officially comment on the matter.

However, their reasoning became sharper after Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified on Tuesday that Sanchar Saathi is optional, can be deleted anytime and becomes active only after user registration. “If you want to delete it, then delete it,” he told reporters outside Parliament. “But not everyone in the country knows that this app exists to protect them from fraud and theft.”