India scraps Modi’s mandatory state-run cybersecurity app on new phones after backlash
The Indian government confidentially ordered companies like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi to install the Sanchar Saathi app on their new phones
India revoked its order to smartphone makers on Wednesday to require the installation of a state-run cybersecurity app days after the plan triggered a major backlash from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s opponents and privacy activists over surveillance fears.
The Indian government had confidentially ordered companies including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi to install new phones with an app called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, within 90 days, Reuters was first to report on Monday.
“Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” India’s communications ministry said in a press statement.
The move comes after days of protests from opposition parties over the issue, while newspaper editorials joined privacy advocates in denouncing the move. The government also found itself at odds with phone manufacturers, as Apple and Samsung had plans to not comply with the directive, sources said.
The plan had become a hot issue on Indian prime time news, with politicians and privacy advocates sparring over its pros and cons.
The government had said the app only helps track and block stolen phones and prevents them from being misused.
Sanchar Saathi is billed as a citizen-centric safety tool, that allows users to block and track lost or stolen mobile phones using the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), which is a unique code for the handset.