The government said the rules were needed to prevent theft and other crime. Its opponents and privacy activists regard the app as a tool of mass surveillance. By Alex Travelli and Pragati K.B.

Phone makers given 90 days to preload undeletable Sanchar Saathi app on all new devices Officials argue the app is essential to fight “serious endangerment” from phone theft, spoofed IMEIs, and ...

India's telecoms ministry has privately asked smartphone makers to preload all new devices with a state-owned cyber security app that cannot be deleted, a government order showed, a move likely to ...

AI chatbot apps, led by OpenAI's ChatGPT, have surged in popularity, topping India's 2025 App Store downloads. Instagram followed closely, with Google Gemini also making a significant mark. The list ...

India is requiring smartphone makers like Apple and Samsung to preload devices sold in the country with a state-owned cyber security app that can't be deleted, reports Reuters. The Department of ...

The November 28 order gives major smartphone companies 90 days to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed on new mobile phones, with a provision that users cannot disable it.

Directive affects Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi Government says app combats cyber security threats Industry concerned over lack of prior consultation India has more than 1.2 billion telecom users ...

India’s telecom ministry has instructed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a government-run cybersecurity application on all new devices, according to a Reuters report. The move, which requires ...

Apple is reportedly refusing to comply with an Indian government order directing all smartphone manufacturers and importers to preload a government-run cyber safety app that cannot be disabled on ...

New Delhi — India's government revoked an order on Wednesday that had directed smartphone makers such as Apple and Samsung to install a state-developed and owned security app on all new devices. The ...

Update December 3 2025, 10:43am ET: India has withdrawn its mandate requesting manufacturers to install the Sanchar Saathi app, according to reporting from Reuters. The text below has been left ...

Update December 3 2025, 10:43am ET: India has withdrawn its mandate requesting manufacturers to install the Sanchar Saathi app, according to reporting from Reuters. The text below has been left ...