India is joining authorities around the world, most notably in Russia, to create regulations prohibiting the use of stolen phones for fraud or advertising state-backed government service apps in an effort to combat the current spike in cybercrime and hacking. Among the businesses bound by the new order are Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Apple, which had previously clashed with the telecom regulator over the creation of a government anti-spam mobile software. According to an order obtained by News Channel on November 28, major smartphone manufacturers have ninety days to guarantee that the government’s Sanchar Saathi software is pre-installed on new phones, with the restriction that users cannot disable it.
The government stated in its instruction, which was sent confidentially to a few companies and not made public, that makers should deploy the app to phones via software upgrades for handsets already in the supply chain. However, a technology-focused attorney expressed alarm over India’s action. “The government effectively removes user consent as a meaningful choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, who works on internet advocacy issues. A similar demand by Russia in August for phones to be pre-installed with the state-backed messaging app MAX was criticized by privacy campaigners.
One of the world’s largest telephone marketplaces, India has more than 1.2 billion members, and official numbers show the software, released in January, has helped recover more than 700,000 stolen phones, including 50,000 in October alone. Such requests are frequently denied by Apple.
According to the government, the software is crucial for preventing “serious endangerment” of telecom cyber security caused by fake or duplicate IMEI numbers, which allow fraud and network abuse. According to Counterpoint Research, by mid-2025, 4.5% of India’s 735 million cellphones were running Apple’s iOS, with the other devices utilizing Android. While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary apps on phones, its internal regulations restrict installation of any government or third-party app before sale of a smartphone, a source with firsthand knowledge of the situation said.
According to Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint, “Apple has historically rejected such requests from governments.” “It’s likely to look for a middle ground: they might bargain and ask for an option to encourage users to install the app instead of making pre-installation mandatory.” Requests for comment were not answered by Apple, Google, Samsung, or Xiaomi. The ministry of telecoms in India did not reply either. A 14- to 17-digit number unique to each device, the IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is most typically used to cut off network connection for phones alleged to have been stolen. Using a single register, the app’s primary purpose is to assist users in tracking and blocking lost or stolen devices across all telecom networks. It also allows them detect, and disconnect, bogus
It also allows them identify, and disconnect, bogus mobile connections. With more than 5 million downloads since its inception, the app has helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones, while more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been canceled. According to the government, it aids in preventing cyberthreats, tracking and blocking stolen or lost phones, assisting law enforcement in tracking devices, and preventing counterfeit goods from entering the illicit market.
