India Mandates Pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi Cybersecurity App on All New Mobile Phones

Government Mandate Issued

The Indian government, through its Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has issued a directive making the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity application mandatory on all new mobile phones sold within the country. The order, dated November 28, 2025, grants mobile phone manufacturers a 90-day window to ensure compliance. For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers are required to push the application via software updates. A comprehensive compliance report must be submitted within 120 days.

Purpose and Key Features of Sanchar Saathi

Sanchar Saathi, meaning 'Communication Companion', is a citizen-centric initiative designed to empower mobile subscribers, enhance their security, and raise awareness about government initiatives. The primary objective of this mandate is to curb the rising incidents of cyber fraud, phone theft, and the misuse of telecom services, particularly those involving duplicate or spoofed International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. The app offers several critical functionalities:

• Blocking Lost/Stolen Devices: Users can report lost or stolen mobile phones, enabling the DoT to block them across all telecom networks in India, rendering them unusable. This feature utilizes the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR).
• Chakshu Facility: This feature allows citizens to report suspected fraudulent communications, including calls, SMS, or WhatsApp messages, that aim to defraud telecom service users through cyber-crime, financial frauds, or impersonation.
• Know Your Mobile Connections: Subscribers can check all mobile connections registered under their name and report any unauthorized or unfamiliar connections.
• IMEI Verification: The 'Know Your Mobile' (KYM) feature helps users verify the authenticity of their handset using its IMEI number and determine if it has been blacklisted or blocked.
• Reporting International Calls with Indian Numbers: The app facilitates reporting of international calls that appear to originate from an Indian number (+91-xxxxxxxxxx), which are often used by illegal telecom setups to disguise their origin and pose a threat to national security.

Impact and Industry Reaction

The mandate specifies that the Sanchar Saathi app must be embedded in handsets without the option for users to delete or disable it. This requirement is anticipated to create friction with major mobile device manufacturers, notably Apple, whose internal policies typically prohibit the pre-installation of government or third-party applications. The directive has also drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates and some industry experts, who express concerns that a non-removable government app could undermine user choice and potentially lead to surveillance, although the Indian government has consistently denied such intentions, framing it purely as a consumer protection measure. The Congress party has publicly criticized the move, deeming it 'unconstitutional' and a violation of citizens' right to privacy.

Track Record and Government Justification

Since its launch in May 2023 (with the app becoming available in January 2025), the Sanchar Saathi service has demonstrated significant results. Government data indicates that it has successfully blocked over 4.2 million lost or stolen devices, traced 2.6 million, and facilitated the recovery of approximately 723,638 devices. Furthermore, the platform has contributed to the termination of more than 30 million fraudulent connections. With over 5 million downloads to date, the government asserts that the app is crucial for addressing the 'serious endangerment' to telecom security posed by fraudulent IMEI numbers and the increasing prevalence of cybercrime.