Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has mandated the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones sold in India.

About Sanchar Saathi App

• Launch & Aim: The App was launched in 2023, as a portal for citizens to report suspicious phone calls and cyber fraud.
  • It currently has 1.4 crore users who collectively report approximately 2,000 fraud incidents daily.
• Key Features:
  • CEIR Integration (Central Equipment Identity Register): Enables blocking of stolen phones through IMEI deactivation.
  • SIM Tracking: Helps users check how many SIM cards are registered in their name (via the app or website).
  • Fraud Prevention and Recovery: Has reportedly helped recover 6 lakh stolen phones and deactivate 29 lakh fraudulent SIMs.

Mandatory Conditions in the Order

• Preloaded: The Sanchar Saathi application must come pre-installed on all smartphones sold in India.
• Non-Deletable/Non-Disableable: Users should not be able to delete, disable, or restrict the app’s functionality.
• Universal Mandate: The requirement applies to all operating systems, including Apple and Android.
• Deadline: Smartphone manufacturers were given a 90-days (three-month) deadline to comply.

Policy Ambiguity

• Conflicting Directives: Despite the DoT Minister publicly stating that the order was not mandatory, the written directive sent to companies clearly marked it as compulsory. 
• Transparency Deficit: This gap between public communication and official instruction highlights a serious lack of transparency and policy ambiguity.

Concerns Associated With The Directive

• Privacy vs. Security Concerns: Although similar services exist through Google and Apple—and are protected by encrypted data protocols—the Sanchar Saathi app places all data in direct government control, justified under national security and fraud prevention.
• Lack of Transparency: The government did not publicly release the order and communicated it quietly to smartphone companies.
• Closed Source Code: Since the source code is not open, doubts arise about potential hidden functions such as location tracking or call monitoring—raising fears of mass surveillance.
• Legal Exemptions: The government provided exemptions for itself in the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act (2023), meaning strict privacy rules do not apply to state-run applications like Sanchar Saathi, based on the rationale of national security.
• Possible Constitutional Violation: Creating a wide surveillance mechanism without judicial oversight may breach the fundamental Right to Privacy (Article 21) recognised in the Supreme Court’s 2017 Puttaswamy judgment.

Market and Effectiveness Issues

• Conflict with Apple: Apple’s strict “walled garden” ecosystem prohibits mandatory pre-installed third-party apps, setting up potential legal confrontation.
• Higher Costs: Manufacturers argue that integrating and testing the app will increase production costs, ultimately burdening consumers.
• Limited Deterrence: Professional cybercriminals can bypass the app through:
  • Rooting the device to remove software.
  • Spoofing IMEI numbers (like IP masking).
  • Using old/second-hand devices without the app.

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Way Forward

• Strengthen Enforcement of Existing Laws: Improve the implementation of current legal frameworks such as the IT Act (Sections 43, 66), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Sections 111(3), 316, 318, 336), and SIM KYC norms, since the core challenge lies in weak enforcement rather than the absence of legislation.
• Enhance Inter-State Coordination: Address the present siloed functioning of state police forces by establishing Inter-State Cyber Units (on the lines of the FBI) to investigate cybercrimes seamlessly across state boundaries.
• Build Institutional Capacity: There is a need to set up Cyber Forensic Labs in every state and equip them to handle digital evidence effectively, strengthening the cybercrime investigation ecosystem.
• Invest in Training and Skill Development: The Governments should prioritise capacity building by training police personnel and prosecutors to handle digital evidence and cybercriminals, ensuring professional, technology-driven enforcement.

Conclusion

The mandatory Sanchar Saathi App offers limited security gains but poses privacy, legal, and operational risks. Strengthening existing cyber laws, inter-state coordination, and institutional capacity is a safer, more effective approach than forced pre-installation.

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