Apple Plans to Resist India's Order to Preload Government App on iPhone [Report]

Apple is preparing to flatly reject a confidential government order in India that demands smartphone makers preload a state-run cyber safety app on every device sold. The directive has already triggered a political storm and raised alarms over surveillance and control.

The order, first reported by Reuters, gives companies like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi just 90 days to start shipping phones with "Sanchar Saathi" pre-installed. The confidential directive instructs manufacturers to ensure the app's functionalities are not disabled or restricted, though government officials have clarified that users will be able to delete it. For devices already on the market, companies were told to push the software out via an update.

Three people familiar with Apple's position told Reuters the company has no intention of complying. Executives plan to tell officials that Apple does not preload government-mandated apps in any market — and that doing so would compromise the privacy and security architecture of iOS. Unlike Android, which manufacturers can modify more freely, Apple keeps its system locked down. As one source put it: Apple "can't do this."


The mandate has touched off a political uproar. Opposition leaders and privacy advocates argue the app could easily become a surveillance tool. After the backlash, India's telecom minister called the system "voluntary" and said users can delete it, though he did not address the confidential order requiring that the app's functions remain intact.

The timing is awkward for Apple, which has been accelerating its investment in the region. Nearly 45 suppliers now form part of its Indian supply chain, and the company recently reported record revenue in the country during its latest earnings call.

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