Sanchar Saathi App On All Phones In India Raises Big Question: Is Your Personal Data Safe?

The government’s latest directive asking smartphone makers to pre-install the cyber security Sanchar Saathi app on all new phones sold in India has triggered a massive debate online. While the Ministry

of Communications says the app is meant purely for citizen safety, expert and users are raising strong questions about privacy, implementation challenges and the fear of future surveillance.The move is big because India is the second-largest smartphone market in the world and more than 95 per cent of all smartphones sold here are manufactured locally.A government-backed app coming to all phones, especially through pre-installation and software updates raises concerns about what comes next. The government order sent to companies mentions pre-installation within 90 days.However, Apple is unlikely to follow the Indian government orders to pre-load its devices with the Sanchar Saathi app and the iPhone maker will be sharing its concerns regarding this app installation with the government.This gap between the official clarification and the original directive has added to the confusion.

What Exactly Is The Sanchar Saathi App?

The Sanchar Saathi app is the mobile version of the government’s Sanchar Saathi portal launched in 2023. It is designed as a digital safety and anti-fraud tool for smartphone users.The app offers multiple features:1. Blocking Lost or Stolen Phones (CEIR Mechanism): Users can block their lost or stolen phones across all telecom networks. If the blocked phone is used anywhere in India, law enforcement agencies can trace its location.2. Chakshu: Reporting Fraudulent Calls and Messages - A built-in system where users can report scam calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages.3. Checking Mobile Numbers Registered in Your Name: You can see all SIM connections linked to your identity and report unauthorised mobile numbers.4. KYM (Know Your Mobile): A feature that lets users verify whether their smartphone is genuine, refurbished, or has been tampered with.On paper, these features look useful and citizen-friendly but the concern is not the features, it's the implementation.The Ministry’s internal circular reportedly directs smartphone makers like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and others to:- Pre-install Sanchar Saathi on all new smartphones sold in India- Complete this within 90 days- Add the app to devices already in the supply chain via software updatesThis means that every new smartphone sold in India will ship with the app by default. For existing users, the app may quietly arrive through an OTA update, whether the user wants it or not.Is the installation truly optional if it’s pushed on all devices?Union Minister for Telecom and Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia responded to the controversy by stating:- The app is not mandatory for users- It can be deleted at any time- It only works when the user chooses to activate it- The government is only making it available as a public safety toolEven though the government insists that the app functions only with user consent, the perception of forced installation is enough to raise trust issues.Many smartphone users are worried that the app could read their personal data, track their location,or work like a backdoor into their phones. They fear that if one app becomes compulsory, more such apps could be forced in the future.

What Tech Experts Are Saying

Experts say the gap between policy communication and real-world implementation is what worries people.Tarun Pathak, Research Director, Counterpoint Research raises two major concerns: privacy and lack of user choice.According to Pathak, users don’t like pre-installed apps. He shared fresh data from Counterpoint: "Six out of ten users don’t want pre-installed apps on their devices. Users won’t be comfortable having an app that cannot be deleted."He warns that allowing one mandated app may open the door to more: "Once you allow this, it might open up conversations for other apps to be pre-installed or mandated on smartphones in future."On the other hand, Faisal Kawoosa, Founder, Techar, focuses on implementation issues, privacy, legal questions, and the impact on existing users."It’s implementable now because over 95 per cenr of smartphones sold in India are made locally. But what about existing phones and devices purchased abroad?""Many users, especially senior citizens, do not update software often. If the update pushes the app, what happens to users who don’t update? Will their services be barred? Can that even be done once a user has valid service and KYC?," Kawoosa said."What will happen to users who are on international roaming in India? How can it be ensured these numbers are not misused as they won’t be having Sanchar saathi app? Other than this, there is always a perception among users that any app which is mandated from law enforcing agencies might be eyeing more than the publicly announced intent. So, the concern around privacy, secrecy and tracking always remains there," he stressed.There might also be reservations from a legal standpoint. Right to privacy is a fundamental right, Kawoosa noted.As per Prabhu Ram, Vice President (VP) - Industry Research Group, CyberMediaResearch (CMR), the real impact of the app will depend on how deeply it can plug into the OS and how uniformly handset makers embrace it -- both of which remain uncertain despite the new preload mandate and both of which raise legitimate privacy concerns for consumers."On iOS, the challenge is even greater, given Apple’s long-standing resistance to intrusive telecom-level changes, as seen in its pushback on earlier DoT-linked call-screening efforts and its broader regulatory run-ins in India," he said.Overall, the Sanchar Saathi app is built with a genuine purpose -- to fight mobile fraud, track stolen phones and protect citizens from scam. These are real problems affecting millions of users every year but the pre-installation and lack of user choice is creating a cloud of distrust.