Sanchar Saathi: India directs smartphone makers to pre-install govt cyber security app on every new phone

According to reports, the government has further instructed the phone makers that users must not be able to uninstall the app once it is installed.

The mandate requires the app to be bundled with every new smartphone sold in India, while existing devices must receive it through a software update.

Companies have been given a three-month deadline to comply — a move industry executives say major manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are likely to push back against.

Neither the DoT nor smartphone makers responded to queries on the matter.

A senior government official described the order as part of a broader push to bolster “cybersecurity and anti-spam measures.”

This effort also includes a recent instruction to messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to implement SIM binding, which would prevent users from accessing these apps without the SIM card originally used for registration being present in the device.

Sanchar Saathi

Sanchar Saathi, currently available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store as an optional download, will effectively become a mandatory system app if manufacturers follow the directive.

Launched in January, the app has seen over 50 lakh downloads.

Government data from September indicates that it has facilitated the blocking of more than 37.28 lakh lost or stolen phones and helped trace an additional 22.76 lakh devices.

The app’s core functions include blocking and tracing lost or stolen mobile phones using their unique IMEI number — a 15-digit identifier used by telecom networks to authenticate devices.

Sanchar Saathi also assists law enforcement authorities and helps curb the circulation of counterfeit handsets.

Users can additionally report suspicious or fraudulent calls, text messages, or communication attempts on platforms such as WhatsApp.

The move aligns with the DoT’s more stringent approach to digital security.

Centre's SIM binding push

Last week, the department ordered platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram to enforce SIM binding — meaning users would be logged out automatically if the original SIM card is not present in the device.

This change could disrupt services such as WhatsApp Web, which will now require reauthentication every six hours.

Currently, messaging platforms verify users via SMS-based one-time passwords (OTPs), but compliance with the new directive will require accessing the SIM’s International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a globally unique number stored on each SIM card that identifies mobile subscribers.