Sanchar Saathi Row: The Union Government on Wednesday revoked the order mandating pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on smartphones sold in the country.
The decision came amid ongoing debates in Parliament about privacy concerns linked to the app, after a government order mandated phone makers to pre-load their devices and update their older phones with the Sanchar Saathi app.
Several opposition members have criticised the move, citing the potential for government surveillance and intrusion into personal communications.
Government removes mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi App. 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…
According to the government, the app is designed solely to protect users from cyber fraud, assist them in reporting malicious activities, and strengthen public participation—or jan bhagidari—in combating cybercrime.
In a press release, the government highlighted the app’s growing popularity, saying that so far, 1.4 crore users have downloaded Sanchar Saathi, collectively contributing information on nearly 2,000 fraud incidents every day. The momentum intensified over the past 24 hours, with six lakh new registrations, marking a ten-fold jump in daily uptake.
Calling this surge an “affirmation of faith" by citizens, the Centre said the original mandate was intended to help less aware users access a reliable cybersecurity tool more easily. However, given the accelerating adoption, officials have decided that compulsory pre-installation is no longer necessary.
“Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre- installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers," the press release stated.
As per sources, the government rolled back its order following concerns that the requirement could create an impression that the app might be misused for surveillance. Sources said that the government “did not want and does not want" any perception that the tool—which is built to help citizens detect and prevent cyber fraud—could be used for snooping.
Sources said the earlier communication from the ministry created an unintended confusion, sparking a narrative that Sanchar Saathi might enable government access to user data. The app, however, is designed only to assist citizens in reporting cyber fraud and securing their devices, with no functions beyond user protection. It can be deleted at any time.
The government had faced early reservations about DigiYatra as well, but with growing demand and industry adoption, the service is now widely used across airports, sources added.
Amid concerns around privacy, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, earlier today, asserted that the app cannot be used for snooping and will remain inactive unless a user chooses to register.
While speaking during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session of the Parliament, Scindia said, “Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app," adding that the the app is for the protection of the people.
The minister also said the government wants to give power to the people in order to help them protect themselves.
Even on Tuesday, during the session, Scindia emphasised that the mere presence of the app on devices does not mean it is actively monitoring users.
He reiterated that activation is voluntary and dependent on user registration.
“If you register it, it will remain active. If you don’t register it, it will remain inactive," he told the House.
The minister also highlighted the app’s purpose in safeguarding citizens from telecom fraud and theft.
Sanchar Saathi was launched in 2023 as a portal where users could report suspicious phone calls. It also has other features like identifying all the phone numbers linked to a user, blocking a stolen device by providing its unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), which would culminate in an order to telecom operators to bar a stolen device from their networks.
The Sanchar Saathi website says, “Sanchar Saathi is a citizen centric initiative of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to empower mobile subscribers, strengthen their security and increase awareness about citizen centric initiatives of the Government… Sanchar Saathi provides various citizen centric services. In addition, Keep Yourself Aware facility provides latest updates and awareness material on different aspects related to end user security, telecom and information security."
It offers various facilities, like blocking a stolen phone, checking mobile connections in your name, and reporting suspected fraud through an option called Chakshu.
Sanchar Saathi is free to download on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Source: News18