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The Centre has rolled back its directive requiring smartphone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app after a sharp rise in voluntary downloads and concerns over potential privacy issues.

Govt withdraws mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on mobile phones

The Centre has rolled back its directive requiring smartphone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app after a sharp rise in voluntary downloads and concerns over potential privacy issues.

The government on Wednesday withdrew the order mandating pre-installation of cyber security app Sanchar Saathi on smartphones by manufacturers.&nbsp;
The Department of Telecom said that it is removing the order mandating installation of the Sanchar Saathi app, following a 10-fold jump in voluntary app downlaods in just one day.&nbsp;
"The number of users has been increasing rapidly, and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily.&nbsp;
"Just in last one day, 6 lakh citizens have registered for downloading the app, which is a 10x increase in its uptake. Given Sanchar Saathi's increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers," the DoT said in a statement.&nbsp;
In the November 28 order, the DoT directed smartphone makers to pre-install the app on all new devices and push it through updates on older ones.&nbsp;
The order led to controversy with opposition leaders raising snooping concerns, saying the app could listen to calls and monitor messages.&nbsp;

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia assures that the Sanchar Saathi app is secure and cannot snoop, amid concerns over mandatory pre-installation on smartphones.

Snooping will never happen with Sanchar Saathi app: Scindia in Lok Sabha

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia assures that the Sanchar Saathi app is secure and cannot snoop, amid concerns over mandatory pre-installation on smartphones.

Amid privacy concerns over the Sanchar Saathi app, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday asserted that snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the app.&nbsp;
Depending on the feedback, the ministry is ready to make changes to the order regarding the installation of the app in devices, he told Lok Sabha.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VIDEO | Parliament Winter Session: Speaking in Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia (<a href="https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JM_Scindia</a>) said snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app, amid a row over his ministry's order asking smartphone makers to&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/s30bHCAazi">pic.twitter.com/s30bHCAazi</a>
&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1996113633030689241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Sanchar Saathi app se "na snooping sambhav hai, no snooping hoga," he said in response to Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda's supplementary question regarding snooping concerns related to the app.&nbsp;
The ministry's order, dated November 28, mandating all mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi app in all handsets to be sold in India as well as in existing devices through software update has triggered a row.&nbsp;
Concerns have been raised about possible snooping and that the app could be used to read messages that users exchange.&nbsp;
Asserting that the app is for the protection of people, he said the government wants to give choices to consumers. If a consumer has not been registered on the app, then the app will not be operational and one can also delete the app, he stated.&nbsp;
There have been around 1.5 crore app downloads. With the portal and the app, 26 lakh stolen handsets have been traced, 7 lakh stolen handsets have been returned to the consumers, 41 lakh mobile connections have been disconnected and 6 lakh frauds have been blocked, the minister said.&nbsp;
The ministry's order also mandates mobile phone companies to ensure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is 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.&nbsp;

Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that activating the Sanchar Saathi app is optional, addressing privacy concerns after the government ordered its pre-installation on all new smartphones.

Sanchar Saathi app optional, not mandatory: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that activating the Sanchar Saathi app is optional, addressing privacy concerns after the government ordered its pre-installation on all new smartphones.

Union Minister for Telecom and Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday clarified that activating the Sanchar Saathi app is entirely optional and not mandatory, amid rising concerns over privacy and fears of state surveillance.&nbsp;
The minister emphasised that the state-developed cybersecurity app involves no spying or call monitoring.
&ldquo;If you want, you can activate it; if you don't, then don&rsquo;t activate it... If you don't want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It's not mandatory. It is optional,&rdquo; Scindia said, addressing the uproar following the Centre&rsquo;s directive to smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the app. He underlined that the government&rsquo;s motive behind the direction is solely to ensure wider access to a tool designed to curb cyber fraud.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | On the debate around Sanchar Saathi app, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia says, "When the opposition has no issues, and they are trying to find some, we cannot help them. Our duty is to help the consumers and ensure their safety. The Sanchar&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/Kr3juNrGFq">https://t.co/Kr3juNrGFq</a> <a href="https://t.co/npwm9R1Kf2">pic.twitter.com/npwm9R1Kf2</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1995753505462911293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The clarification comes a day after the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ordered all smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi on new mobile devices. Devices already in use will receive the app through a software update, with companies given 90 days to implement the mandate.
Launched in January 2025, the Sanchar Saathi app offers multiple services, including blocking stolen phones, checking mobile connections registered in one&rsquo;s name, and reporting suspected fraud. The recent directive has not only created friction with smartphone manufacturers but has also stirred a political debate over data collection and user consent.
Scindia emphasised that the government&rsquo;s role is limited to making the app available as a public safety tool. &ldquo;Keeping it on their devices or not is entirely up to users,&rdquo; he said, rejecting claims of mandatory installation. He highlighted the practical impact of the initiative, noting that the Sanchar Saathi portal has been downloaded over 20 crore times, while the app itself has more than 1.5 crore downloads.
&ldquo;The Sanchar Saathi app has enabled the disconnection of nearly 1.75 crore fraudulent mobile connections. Around 20 lakh stolen phones have been traced, and approximately 7.5 lakh stolen phones have been returned to their rightful owners. This app does not enable snooping or call monitoring,&rdquo; Scindia added, underlining that users have full control over activation and can delete the app anytime.
Addressing misconceptions, the minister compared Sanchar Saathi to any other mobile app that can be installed or removed at will. &ldquo;It is about customer protection. It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it on their devices or not is up to the user. It can be deleted from the mobile phone just like any other app,&rdquo; he said.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya urged citizens not to fall for &ldquo;fake news&rdquo; about the app, stressing that it is not a surveillance tool. He clarified that the app cannot read messages, listen to calls, or access personal data, and is designed purely to enhance telecom safety.&nbsp;
Malviya highlighted that Sanchar Saathi helps users report spam, block stolen phones, detect spoofed calls, and verify SIMs issued in their name. He described the platform as a security safeguard, essential amid rising cybercrime, noting millions of devices blocked or traced and numerous fraud attempts prevented.

The Congress criticised the DoT directive mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all mobile phones in India, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of citizens’ right to privacy.

Row over DoT's Sanchar Saathi app mandate, Congress calls it unconstitutional

The Congress criticised the DoT directive mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all mobile phones in India, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of citizens&rsquo; right to privacy.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made it compulsory for all mobile phones manufactured or imported in India to come with the Sanchar Saathi application pre-installed, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress.&nbsp;
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal called the directive unconstitutional and demanded its immediate rollback.
&ldquo;Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT direction is beyond unconstitutional. The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution,&rdquo; Venugopal said in a post on X.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT Direction is beyond unconstitutional. The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/kx33c7fmda">pic.twitter.com/kx33c7fmda</a>
&mdash; K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/1995546430518558834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He added, &ldquo;A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian. It is a means to watch over every movement, interaction and decision of each citizen. This is part of the long series of relentless assaults on the Constitutional rights of Indian citizens, which will not be allowed to continue. We reject this direction and demand its immediate rollback.&rdquo;
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT), said the move is nothing but "another BIG BOSS surveillance moment".&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sanchar Saathi mobile Application mandate to every mobile phone manufacturer as a permanent mobile feature by the GoI is nothing but another BIG BOSS surveillance moment. Such shady ways to get into individual phones will be protested and opposed &amp; if the IT Ministry thinks that&hellip;
&mdash; Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) <a href="https://twitter.com/priyankac19/status/1995558953376448699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
"Such shady ways to get into individual phones will be protested and opposed &amp; if the IT Ministry thinks that instead of creating robust redressal systems it will create surveillance systems then it should be ready for a pushback," she said.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday described it as a "snooping app" and alleged that the government is turning the country into a dictatorship.
Asked about the issue by reporters outside Parliament, she said, "You are calling it a snooping app so you know what it is. So it is a snooping app. Clearly, it is ridiculous...citizens have their right to privacy, even all of you must be having the right to privacy to send your messages to family, friends, without the government looking at everything."&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: On DoT's directions to pre-install Sanchar Saathi App on mobile handsets, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, "It is a snooping app. It's ridiculous. Citizens have the right to privacy. Everyone must have the right to privacy to send messages to family,&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/k4n0boFPTr">pic.twitter.com/k4n0boFPTr</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1995720280128585855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"It is not just one thing, it is not just snooping on the telephones, it is overall, they are turning this country into dictatorship in every form. You ask me everyday, why Parliament is not functioning, it is not functioning as they (the government) are refusing to talk about anything," the Congress general secretary said.&nbsp;
She said it is very easy to blame the opposition but the government is not allowing any discussion on anything. "And that is not democracy," she alleged. "A healthy democracy demands discussions, everybody has views, you hear them out," Gandhi said. Asked whether the DoT order should be rolled back, she said, "They should do it.
The DoT directive, issued on November 28, requires that the Sanchar Saathi app be clearly visible and accessible to users during a device&rsquo;s first-time setup, and that its features cannot be disabled or restricted by manufacturers.&nbsp;
For devices already produced and currently circulating in sales channels across the country, manufacturers and importers have been instructed to push the app through software updates. Implementation must be completed within 90 days, while a compliance report is required within 120 days.
The Sanchar Saathi initiative aims to help citizens avoid non-genuine mobile devices, simplify the reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources, and strengthen telecom cybersecurity.&nbsp;
The portal and app allow users to verify the authenticity of a mobile handset using its IMEI number and provide services such as reporting suspected fraudulent communication, reporting lost or stolen phones, checking mobile connections registered under a user&rsquo;s name, and accessing trusted contact details of banks or financial institutions.
The press release notes that the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Rules empower the Central Government to issue directions to manufacturers of telecommunication equipment bearing IMEI numbers, requiring them to assist in cases involving tampered devices or IMEI numbers. Manufacturers and importers must comply with these directions.
The DoT emphasised that mobile handsets with duplicate or spoofed IMEIs pose a significant threat to telecom cybersecurity, as the same IMEI can appear on multiple devices simultaneously, complicating enforcement actions.
India&rsquo;s sizeable second-hand mobile device market has also seen instances of stolen or blacklisted phones being resold, exposing buyers to financial loss and potentially making them unwitting abettors in crime. Users can check whether an IMEI is blocked or blacklisted using the Sanchar Saathi app.
Venugopal also cited the DoT direction under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024 (as amended), which states: &ldquo;All manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets that are intended for use in India shall submit compliance reports to the DoT within 120 days from the issuance of these directions.&nbsp;
Failure to comply with these directions shall attract action under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024 (as amended), and other applicable laws. These directions shall come into force immediately and shall remain in force until amended or withdrawn by the DoT.&rdquo;

The Congress criticised the DoT’s directive requiring mandatory pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on new mobile phones, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of citizens’ right to privacy, and demanded its withdrawal.

Congress calls DoT's mandatory Sanchar Saathi rule unconstitutional, demands rollback

The Congress criticised the DoT&rsquo;s directive requiring mandatory pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on new mobile phones, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of citizens&rsquo; right to privacy, and demanded its withdrawal.

The Congress on Monday rejected the directions of the Department of Telecommunications on pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app in new mobile handsets as unconstitutional, and demanded its immediate rollback.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said that the right to privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty.
&ldquo;Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT direction is beyond unconstitutional. The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT Direction is beyond unconstitutional. The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/kx33c7fmda">pic.twitter.com/kx33c7fmda</a>
&mdash; K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/1995546430518558834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian. It is a means to watch over every movement, interaction and decision of each citizen,&rdquo; Venugopal said in a post on X.
The move, he alleged, is part of the long series of "relentless assaults" on the Constitutional rights of Indian citizens, which will not be allowed to continue.
&ldquo;We reject this direction and demand its immediate rollback,&rdquo; the Congress leader said.
Venugopal also shared the DoT direction under Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024 (as amended), regarding the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app in mobile handsets to check their genuineness.
&ldquo;All manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets that are intended for use in India shall submit compliance reports to the DoT within 120 days from the issuance of these directions.
&ldquo;Failure to comply with these directions shall attract action under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024 (as amended), and other applicable laws. These directions shall come into force immediately and shall remain in force until amended or withdrawn by the DoT,&rdquo; the communique said.

The DoT has mandated that all mobile phones manufactured or imported in India must have the Sanchar Saathi app pre-installed to curb telecom fraud, verify device authenticity, and enhance cybersecurity.

DoT makes Sanchar Saathi app mandatory on all mobile phones in India

The DoT has mandated that all mobile phones manufactured or imported in India must have the Sanchar Saathi app pre-installed to curb telecom fraud, verify device authenticity, and enhance cybersecurity.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made it compulsory for all mobile phones manufactured or imported in India to come with the Sanchar Saathi application pre-installed, the Ministry of Communication said in a press release.&nbsp;
The directive requires that the app be clearly visible and accessible to users during the device&rsquo;s first-time setup, and that its features cannot be disabled or restricted by manufacturers.
For devices already produced and currently circulating in sales channels across the country, manufacturers and importers have been instructed to push the Sanchar Saathi application through software updates.&nbsp;
As per the ministry, the directions issued on November 28 are aimed at helping citizens avoid non-genuine mobile devices, simplifying the reporting of suspected misuse of telecom resources, and strengthening the overall impact of the Sanchar Saathi initiative.
The implementation must be completed within 90 days, while a compliance report is required to be submitted within 120 days.
The Sanchar Saathi initiative is part of the DoT&rsquo;s larger effort to curb telecom resource misuse linked to cyber fraud and enhance telecom cybersecurity.&nbsp;
The Sanchar Saathi portal and app allow users to verify the authenticity of a mobile handset using its IMEI number and offer multiple services, including reporting suspected fraudulent communication, reporting lost or stolen phones, checking mobile connections registered under a user&rsquo;s name, and accessing trusted contact details of banks or financial institutions.
The press release notes that the Telecommunication Cyber Security (TCS) Rules empower the Central Government to issue directions to manufacturers of telecommunication equipment bearing International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, requiring them to assist in cases involving tampered devices or IMEI numbers. These rules also mandate that manufacturers and importers comply with such directions issued by the government.
The DoT emphasised that mobile handsets with duplicate or spoofed IMEIs are a significant threat to telecom cybersecurity. Spoofed or tampered IMEIs can result in the same IMEI appearing on multiple devices simultaneously in different locations, complicating enforcement actions against such devices.
According to the press release, India has a sizeable second-hand mobile device market, where cases have been reported of stolen or blacklisted phones being resold. This not only exposes buyers to financial loss but may also make them unwitting abettors in crime. Users can check whether an IMEI is blocked or blacklisted using the Sanchar Saathi app.

sanchar saathi app

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