India orders phone manufacturers to preload government app

INDIA has ordered smartphone makers to pre-install a government-run cyber security app that cannot be removed, a move that has raised concerns about users’ privacy.

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The country has a massive 1.16 billion mobile phone users, according to government data from 2024, and authorities say the app will better protect them from fraud.

Late on Monday, New Delhi gave manufacturers 90 days to comply with new rules saying the app Sanchar Saathi meaning communication partner in Hindi must be “preinstalled on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India”.

The order, detailed in a press release, also asked phone makers to ensure the app was “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”.