Government Reverses Decision on Mandatory Cyber Security App Installation

Withdrawal of Sanchar Saathi Installation Mandate

New Delhi: On Wednesday, the government announced the retraction of its directive that required smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the cyber security application, Sanchar Saathi.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) stated that the decision to withdraw the installation mandate came after a significant surge in voluntary downloads of the app, which saw a tenfold increase in just one day.

"The user base is expanding rapidly, and the initial requirement for pre-installation was intended to facilitate access for less informed users," the DoT explained.

"In just the past 24 hours, 600,000 individuals have registered to download the app, marking a tenfold rise in its adoption. Given the growing acceptance of Sanchar Saathi, the government has opted not to enforce mandatory pre-installation for mobile device manufacturers," the statement continued.

Previously, on November 28, the DoT had instructed smartphone companies to include the app on all new devices and to distribute it through updates on older models.

This directive sparked controversy, with opposition figures expressing concerns about privacy, suggesting that the app could potentially eavesdrop on calls and monitor messages.