India withdraws order to pre-Install Sanchar Saathi app

Dubai: The government has withdrawn its order mandating smartphone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on all devices sold in India, Indian media reports said on Wednesday.

The directive, which applied to all manufacturers including Apple — reportedly preparing to mount a legal challenge — was rolled back after the Communications Ministry said user adoption of the app has surged, with more than six lakh downloads in 24 hours and 1.4 crore users overall.

Officials said the mandate to pre-install was intended only to accelerate the pace of downloads. The government stressed that the app is designed to protect citizens from cyber fraud and can be removed by users at any time.

“The government, with an intent to provide access to cybersecurity to all citizens, mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure… and they can remove the app,” the Communications Ministry said, reiterating that it has no hidden functions beyond user safety.

The rollback came amid two days of public criticism and opposition protests over privacy concerns, with several leaders warning the move could echo the Pegasus surveillance controversy. In Parliament, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia insisted “snooping is neither possible nor will it happen” with the app and emphasised users can delete it “like any other app”.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the mandate “ridiculous,” while Karti Chidambaram said it resembled measures taken in Russia and North Korea. Other opposition figures, including Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Shiv Sena (UBT), likened it to a surveillance tool.

Sanchar Saathi — developed by the Department of Telecommunications — is available as a mobile app and a web portal. The platform allows users to manage digital identities, report suspicious activity, and access information on telecom safety and cyber risks, Indian media reports said.