SYLLABUS

GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 

Context: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) recently revoked its order directing phone makers to mandatorily pre-install the state-owned Sanchar Saathi application.

Sanchar Saathi App

• Sanchar Saathi is a cybersecurity app developed by the government of India via the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• It is citizen-participation based safety platform, enabling ordinary users to contribute in preventing telecom and mobile fraud collectively.
• Its stated functions include helping users report fraudulent calls and messages, track and block lost or stolen phones (via IMEI), check if any SIM cards are issued in their name without their knowledge, and flag fake or suspicious telecom activity.
• The app was launched in 2025, and according to government data about 1.4 crore users had downloaded it, reporting around 2,000 fraud incidents per day.

Government mandates its pre-installation

• Cybersecurity and fraud prevention: The app was portrayed as a tool to help curb rising cyber fraud, fake connections, resale of stolen devices with spoofed IMEIs, and misuse of SIMs.
• Mass adoption and ease of access: The government aimed to “reach everyone” by pre-installing the app so that all smartphone users automatically had access to its security features without needing to download it themselves.
• Jan bhagidari in cyber safety: The government described Sanchar Saathi as not just a protective tool but a participatory platform enabling users themselves to plug into broader efforts to flag fraud or stolen devices.

Key Concerns

• Privacy and surveillance concerns: The recent mandate to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones in India was widely criticized for potentially violating the fundamental right to privacy as established in the Supreme Court's landmark K.S. Puttaswamy (2017) judgement.
• Lack of transparency and accountability: The privacy policy and user data access requirements have raised concerns and have been flagged by at least one open-source application testing service.
• User consent compromised: Pre-installation, even with delete options, violates informed consent norms. Globally, sensitive state apps aren’t usually preloaded on devices.
• Questionable effectiveness: Cybercriminals can bypass the app by using phones without it, spoofing IMEIs, or buying second-hand phones. Legal frameworks exist, but enforcement gaps remain.
• Industry resistance and challenges: Mandating pre-installation on platforms like iOS/Android causes compatibility, compliance, and business feasibility problems.

Way Ahead

• Voluntary use over mandate: Security tools should be optional, respecting user autonomy. The government should promote Sanchar Saathi through awareness, incentives, and transparency rather than compulsion.
• Transparency and audits: Source code and data practices must be public or independently audited to build trust. Legal safeguards should limit data use to declared purposes, preventing misuse or surveillance.
• Strengthen law enforcement and frameworks: Cyber fraud and theft need strong legal enforcement alongside technology. Existing laws and mechanisms like encryption and blacklisting should be effectively implemented with increased public awareness.
• Public consultation and consent: Digital policies affecting privacy, especially mandatory installs, require stakeholder engagement and clear consent rules.

Sources:
Indian Express
The Hindu
PIB