🔗 Share this article

In a major step, India's telecoms authority has privately directed smartphone companies to pre-install all new phones with a national cybersecurity tool that must remain installed. This order, which has been disclosed, is likely to antagonise major technology firms like Apple and prompt concerns among digital rights groups.

A Worldwide Pattern in Cybersecurity Policy

Addressing a recent surge of online fraud and phone theft, India is joining authorities across the globe. This action mirrors comparable rules introduced in countries like Russia, which aim to prevent the use of stolen phones for scams and promote official service apps.

Which Manufacturers Are Bound by the Order?

The recent order binds major mobile phone brands operating in the Indian market. These include Apple, a company that has previously clashed with regulators over comparable apps, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

The Fine Print of the Government Order

An order dated 28 November allots phone companies a three-month window to ensure that the official "Messenger Friend" application is included on all new devices. A critical condition is that owners cannot disable the application.

For devices currently in the retail pipeline, manufacturers are directed to send the application via software updates. It is notable that this order was privately circulated and was dispatched selectively to specific companies.

Privacy Apprehensions Raised

However, technology analysts have expressed significant worries regarding this decision. A lawyer specialising in tech issues stated that India's directive is a worrying development.

“The government effectively eliminates user consent as a meaningful choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital advocacy issues.

Digital rights groups had also criticised a similar requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed communication called Max to be pre-installed on phones.

The Size of the Indian Smartphone Landscape

India, among the world's largest telephone markets, boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users. Official figures show that the Sanchar Saathi app, launched in January, has already assisted in tracking down more than 700,000 lost phones, with approximately 50,000 recovered in October by itself.

The government argues that the app is vital to tackle the “grave endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which facilitate illicit activities and network misuse.

Apple's Likely Response

Apple's iOS runs on an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per industry analysis. While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary applications on its devices, its company guidelines reportedly ban the installation of any government app before the purchase of a device.

“Apple has traditionally refused these kinds of demands from governments,” noted Tarun Pathak, a analyst at Counterpoint.

“It’s expected to pursue a negotiated solution: rather than a compulsory inclusion, they might negotiate and ask for an alternative to prompt users towards installing the app.”

Requests for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi were unanswered. India’s telecoms department also remained silent.

Understanding the IMEI and the Application's Function

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number assigned to each handset. It is most commonly used by networks to cut off cellular access for phones reported as stolen.

The government application is mainly created to help users track and locate missing phones across all telecom networks, using a national registry. It also allows them to detect, and block, fraudulent mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Outcomes

With over 5 million downloads since its launch, the app has already been used to disable over 3.7 million stolen or lost mobile phones. Moreover, more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been disconnected through its use.

The authorities states that the app helps preventing digital threats and helps in the locating and blocking of missing phones, thereby aiding police in tracing handsets and keeping counterfeits out of the black market.