The government on Wednesday announced the revocation of its order mandating the pre-installation of the cyber security application, Sanchar Saathi, on all smartphones manufactured or imported in India.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had issued the directive on November 28, requiring mobile manufacturers to pre-install the app on new devices and to push it through software updates on existing ones. However, the order was met with widespread criticism from digital rights activists and political opposition, who raised concerns over privacy and the potential for surveillance.
‘Increasing Acceptance’ Cited for Rollback
In a statement, the DoT justified the rollback by citing the app’s “increasing acceptance” and voluntary adoption by citizens. The department noted that the number of users downloading the app has increased rapidly, with over 1.4 crore users having already downloaded Sanchar Saathi. Furthermore, the DoT highlighted a sharp surge in voluntary downloads, reporting a 10-fold jump with six lakh citizens registering for the app in a single day.
“The number of users has been increasing rapidly, and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily,” the DoT stated.
Government Defends App Amid Snooping Claims
The initial mandatory order was heavily criticized, with opposition parties labeling Sanchar Saathi a “snooping app” that could be used for surveillance, especially after reports suggested users might not be able to delete it.
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia categorically rejected the allegations, clarifying that the app is optional and users are free to delete it.
“The Government with an intent to provide access to cyber security to all citizens had mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure and purely meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world,” the government said, stressing that keeping the app is “not mandatory”.
The application, which helps users report fraud incidents, block lost/stolen mobile phones, and check mobile connections under their name, relies on “Jan Bhagidari” (public participation) to enhance telecom security. The department noted that the voluntary increase in downloads is an “affirmation of faith by citizens on this App for protecting themselves.”