A recent government directive mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones sold in India has ignited a heated debate around digital privacy and state surveillance. Privacy advocates and device manufacturers argue that the move may compromise user autonomy and data protection.

Under the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has ordered all smartphone makers to preload the app by default and ensure it cannot be disabled or removed. For phones already in use, companies must push the app via software updates within 90 days. Apple has already indicated it will not comply with the mandate.

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) strongly criticized the directive, warning that embedding Sanchar Saathi as a system-level app could grant it deep, unrestricted access to sensitive user data—bypassing Android’s standard privacy controls. The foundation argues this effectively converts smartphones into state-controlled surveillance tools.

Launched in January 2025, Sanchar Saathi offers legitimate services like blocking lost or stolen phones, reporting scam calls, and verifying mobile numbers linked to a user’s ID. However, its extensive permissions—including access to SMS, call logs, device identity, network status, camera, and external storage—have raised red flags, particularly because system apps are often immune to standard user consent protocols.

Although Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has stated that users will be able to delete the app, critics note that system apps are rarely easy to remove or restrict.

This growing controversy reflects a broader challenge: balancing national cybersecurity objectives with the fundamental right to privacy in an increasingly digitized India.