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The November 28 directive had mandated pre-installing the app on new and existing phones, raising privacy and surveillance concerns

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The Union government has withdrawn its order requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the state-run cyber safety app, Sanchar Saathi, on all devices, following widespread pushback from political leaders, industry experts, and digital rights groups.

The Ministry of Communications said the decision reflects the app’s growing acceptance and clarified that pre-installation will no longer be mandatory.

“Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, [the] government has decided not to make the pre- installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” the ministry said in a press statement.

Users will be able to remove the app at their discretion, and the government stressed that the app’s sole function is to protect users from cyber fraud.

The controversial directive, originally issued on November 28, 2025, required manufacturers to pre-install the app on new phones and push it to existing devices via a software update within three months. The ministry had initially stated that users would not be able to disable the app, which raised concerns over potential surveillance and privacy violations.

Opposition parties and technology policy experts criticized the order as an overreach, while the Internet Freedom Foundation warned that the app could convert every smartphone into “a vessel for state-mandated software” that users cannot control.

The organisation highlighted that server-side updates could potentially repurpose the app for broader monitoring, including VPN usage, SIM activity, or message logs.

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia defended the app in Parliament, stating that snooping is impossible and that its purpose is purely protective. He also indicated that the government is willing to make changes based on public feedback.

The ministry reiterated in a press release on Wednesday that the app is intended to provide cybersecurity access to all citizens and that users are free to remove it at any time.

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