India’s political landscape has been stirred by a contentious government directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to preinstall a state-developed application on all devices sold within the country. The opposition Congress party has formally requested an urgent parliamentary discussion regarding what they characterize as a significant privacy infringement and potential surveillance mechanism.
The controversial application, named Sanchar Saathi (Communication Partner), has been mandated by India’s telecommunications ministry for installation on all smartphones from major manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi. According to official statements, the software is designed specifically to track stolen mobile devices, remotely disable them, and prevent their unauthorized usage.
However, privacy advocates and political opponents of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration have raised substantial concerns regarding the program’s implementation. Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has formally challenged the legal basis for requiring a non-removable application on personal devices, warning that such mandatory installation could potentially create backdoor access to user data, fundamentally compromising individual privacy rights.
The telecommunications ministry maintains that the measure represents a necessary cybersecurity initiative addressing what they describe as ‘serious endangerment’ of digital security. This development occurs amidst growing tensions between technology companies and regulatory authorities, with Reuters reporting that Apple intends to contest the mandate and express its reservations directly to Indian officials.