🔗 Share this article

In a major move, India's telecommunications department has privately directed smartphone companies to preload all new phones with a government-backed cybersecurity app that cannot be deleted. This order, which has been disclosed, is expected to alarm leading tech companies like Apple and raise concerns among digital rights groups.

A Worldwide Pattern in Cybersecurity Policy

Addressing a growing wave of digital scams and phone theft, India is joining governments worldwide. This action mirrors similar regulations framed in nations like Russia, which are designed to prevent the use of lost phones for scams and encourage official service apps.

What Manufacturers Are Affected by the Order?

The recent mandate affects leading mobile phone brands active in the domestic market. These include Apple, a company that has in the past clashed with the telecom authority over comparable apps, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Specifics of the Government Mandate

An order dated 28 November gives smartphone manufacturers a three-month deadline to guarantee that the official "Messenger Friend" application is pre-installed on all new devices. A key stipulation is that users cannot disable the software.

For phones already in the supply chain, makers are instructed to send the app via software updates. It is important that this order was privately circulated and was dispatched selectively to chosen manufacturers.

Privacy Concerns Raised

However, legal specialists have flagged serious apprehensions regarding this policy. A legal expert focusing in tech issues said that India's action is a cause for concern.

“The government practically removes user consent as a genuine choice,” stated Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital advocacy issues.

Consumer organisations had also questioned a similar mandate by Russia in August for a government-sponsored messenger app to be included on phones.

The Size of the Indian Market

India, among the world's largest telephone markets, boasts more than 1.2 billion mobile users. Official figures show that the cybersecurity app, launched in January, has already helped recovering over 700,000 stolen phones, with around 50,000 found in October alone.

The government states that the software is vital to fight the “significant endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from fake or spoofed IMEI numbers, which facilitate scams and system abuse.

Apple's Likely Response

Apple's iOS powers an estimated 4.5% of the 735 million mobile phones in India, with the vast majority using Android, according to market research. While Apple includes its own first-party apps on its devices, its internal policies reportedly forbid the installation of any government app before the sale of a device.

“Apple has traditionally declined these kinds of mandates from authorities,” commented Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to pursue a negotiated solution: instead of a forced pre-install, they might discuss and propose an alternative to prompt users towards installing the app.”

Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecommunications department also offered no comment.

The Role of the IMEI and the Application's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number assigned to each handset. It is typically used by carriers to cut off network access for phones flagged as lost.

The government app is mainly created to help users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all mobile carriers, using a national registry. It also enables them to identify, and terminate, illegal mobile connections.

Notable Adoption and Results

With more than 5 million downloads since its inception, the software has reportedly helped block more than 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Additionally, more than 30 million illegal connections have also been blocked through its use.

The authorities states that the software aids in combating digital threats and helps in the tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones, thereby helping police in recovering handsets and preventing counterfeits out of the illicit trade.