New Delhi — The government of India has reversed a recent directive that would have required all smartphones sold in the country to come pre-installed with Sanchar Saathi, a state-managed cyber-security application, after mounting criticism from privacy advocates, technology firms and political opponents.

The order, quietly issued on November twenty-eighth by the Ministry of Communications, called on all handset manufacturers and importers to embed Sanchar Saathi on every new device within ninety days, and to push it via software updates to existing phones already in circulation.

The requirement stipulated that the app be non-removable, raising immediate concern over consumer consent and digital privacy.

Sanchar Saathi — launched in 2023 by the Department of Telecommunications — is intended to help users report fraud, block or track lost or stolen devices via their IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), and curb telecom-fraud and misuse of cloned phones.

The government argued that the mandate would help in ‘curbing serious cyber-fraud’ and securing the country’s sprawling mobile network from misuse.

But privacy campaigners, opposition politicians and global tech companies swiftly pushed back.

Critics warned that mandatory installation without user consent risked enabling state surveillance — a “kill switch” that could allow authorities to disable or monitor phones at will.

Among those resisting the directive was Apple, which reportedly refused to comply with the order on grounds that its policies prohibit pre-installation of third-party or government apps before sale, especially ones that demand broad permissions or cannot be removed.

On December third, the Ministry of Communications announced it would not proceed with making the pre-installation mandatory.

Officials said that given the “increasing acceptance” of Sanchar Saathi — with millions downloading the app voluntarily — there was no longer a need for coercion, and that users who wanted the app could still install it voluntarily.

While digital-rights groups welcomed the reversal with “cautious optimism,” they stressed the need for clarity — especially a transparent legal framework — to ensure that state-deployed apps cannot be repurposed for mass surveillance in the future.

The swift about-face highlights the delicate balance New Delhi must strike between combating cyber-fraud and preserving citizens’ digital privacy and autonomy.

It also underscores the growing power of public dissent, tech-company resistance and civil-society pressure in shaping technology policy — even in one of the world’s largest smartphone markets.