Government Withdraws Mandatory Pre-Installation of Sanchar Saathi App on Smartphones

Withdrawal of Pre-Installation Mandate

New Delhi, Dec 3: The government announced on Wednesday that it has rescinded the requirement for mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi application on smartphones. This decision comes in light of a significant increase in voluntary registrations and heightened public confidence in the app.

According to the Ministry of Communications, the Sanchar Saathi app, which aims to safeguard citizens against cyber fraud and telecom-related offenses, has seen a surge in acceptance, rendering the compulsory installation unnecessary.

The ministry reported that approximately 1.4 crore users have downloaded the Sanchar Saathi app, which has facilitated the reporting of nearly 2,000 fraud cases daily.

In just the past 24 hours, six lakh individuals registered to download the app, indicating a tenfold increase in its adoption rate.

Initially, the mandate was established to ensure that less-informed citizens could access cybersecurity resources.

However, due to the recent rise in voluntary usage, the government has decided to eliminate the pre-installation requirement for mobile manufacturers.

The ministry reassured the public that the app is secure, does not include surveillance features, and is solely intended to protect users from fraud and assist them in reporting cybercrimes.

Users are free to uninstall the app at their discretion, and it promotes public participation in combating cybercrime.

This announcement followed Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's strong denial of snooping allegations in Parliament.

During the Lok Sabha's Question Hour, he clarified that the app does not monitor users and remains inactive unless a user opts to register.

Scindia stated, "Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app," adding in Hindi, "Sanchar Saathi app se na snooping sambhav hai, na snooping hoga."

He emphasized that the app is designed solely to assist individuals in protecting themselves from digital threats, including fraudulent mobile connections, scam calls, and issues related to lost or stolen devices.