Apple may not comply with India’s order to preload Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones: report

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple will tell the government that it does not preload government apps anywhere in the world, as this could affect user privacy and the security of its iOS ecosystem. The company is expected to raise its concerns privately and convey it to the government, sources told Reuters. Apple and the Telecom Ministry have not yet commented publicly on the issue. The app is meant to help people track lost or stolen phones and block them from being misused, but the move has sparked privacy concerns among users and tech companies.

The Sanchar Saathi directive requires phone makers to install the app within 90 days and ensure its features “cannot be disabled or restricted.” For phones already in the supply chain, companies are expected to add the app through a software update. The government says this measure is necessary to tackle rising cyber fraud, device cloning and the resale of stolen smartphones. Officials cite data showing the app has already helped recover more than 7 lakh lost phones.

However, critics argue that the app’s permissions, which include access to call logs, messages, files and the camera, raise questions about how much data it can collect. Privacy groups say this turns every phone into a device running mandatory government software that users cannot opt out of.

The government has tried to ease concerns. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said users will be able to delete the app if they don’t wish to use it, though the Ministry has not explained how that fits with the requirement that its functionalities must remain active.

Other smartphone brands are still reviewing the order. Industry experts point out that most companies, including Apple, do not allow third-party or government apps to be installed on devices before sale, making compliance difficult. India’s smartphone market is dominated by Android devices, but Apple still powers over 4 percent of all smartphones in the country and is one of the fastest-growing premium brands.

For the government, Sanchar Saathi is seen as a security tool for a market where millions of phones are bought second-hand and cases of stolen or spoofed devices are common. For users and companies, the concern is whether such a mandatory app gives the state too much access to personal data.

India is not alone in exploring stricter controls. Russia introduced a similar rule last year, requiring new devices to come with a state-backed messaging app pre-installed.

For now, smartphone makers have 90 days to respond, and the government has 120 days to collect compliance reports.