India Drops Order Requiring Apple to Preload Government App on Smartphones

The Indian government has withdrawn its plan to require smartphone makers to preload a state-run cyber safety app on every new device. The Ministry of Communications announced the reversal today, saying the mandate is no longer needed because the app is spreading quickly on its own.

According to the government, the original order was meant to ensure easy access to basic cybersecurity tools. Officials stressed again that the "Sanchar Saathi" app is limited to fraud reporting and user protection, with no additional functions, and can be uninstalled at any time. They also pointed to how quickly adoption has grown: the app has now been downloaded by roughly 14 million users and is helping surface about 2,000 fraud cases per day. In the last 24 hours alone, another 600,000 people registered to download it — a jump the ministry says shows the app no longer needs to be pushed through a pre-installation rule.


The timing of the reversal is notable. It comes a day after reports that Apple was preparing to resist the confidential order, arguing that preloading government software would undermine the iPhone's security and privacy architecture. Privacy advocates had also raised concerns that a mandatory installation could open the door to broader surveillance, despite the government's insistence that the app serves only a protective purpose.

Officials reiterated today that users who choose to install Sanchar Saathi can remove it whenever they like and that its role is strictly limited to helping citizens report "bad actors" online.

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