India has mandated that all new smartphones sold in the country must come with the government's Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity application pre-loaded. This directive was issued last week and made public on Monday.
Implementation Details
Smartphone manufacturers have been given 90 days to comply with the order. The application must be non-removable from the devices. The Department of Telecommunications stated that this measure is intended to assist citizens in verifying handset authenticity and reporting suspected misuse of telecommunication resources. The order applies to one of the world's largest mobile phone markets, which currently has over 1.2 billion mobile subscribers.
Sanchar Saathi Application Overview
Launched in January, the Sanchar Saathi app provides functionalities such as checking a device's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), reporting lost or stolen phones, and flagging suspicious communication attempts. The IMEI is a unique 15-digit code identifying and authenticating mobile devices on cellular networks.
Government Rationale
The Department of Telecommunications indicated that mobile handsets with duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers pose a risk to telecom cybersecurity. The department also noted India's substantial second-hand mobile device market, where stolen or blacklisted devices are sometimes resold. This practice, according to the department, can make purchasers unknowingly involved in illicit activities and lead to financial losses.
User Access and Compliance
Under the new regulations, the pre-installed application must be readily visible and accessible to users during device setup. Its functionalities are not permitted to be disabled or restricted. Additionally, smartphone manufacturers are encouraged to provide the app through software updates for devices already produced but not yet sold. Companies are required to submit compliance reports on the order within 120 days.