India: To strengthen mobile security and prevent online fraud, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a new directive, stating that every new smartphone manufactured in India or imported from abroad will come pre-installed with the Sanchar Saathi app.

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To strengthen mobile security and prevent online fraud in India, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a new directive. Under this directive, every new smartphone manufactured in India or imported from abroad will now be pre-installed with the Sanchar Saathi app. All mobile manufacturers and importers have been asked to implement this directive immediately.

The Sanchar Saathi app provides security to mobile users. If a phone is lost or stolen, reporting and blocking it can be done within minutes. It also helps monitor fake links, spam calls, suspicious messages, and ongoing connections on the mobile phone. The app’s special feature is that users no longer have to face the difficulty of remembering the IMEI number.

Opposition Opens Front

K.C. Venugopal, Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, wrote on Twitter (formerly Twitter) that Big Brother cannot keep an eye on us. This directive from the Department of Telecommunications is beyond unconstitutional. The right to privacy is an integral part of the fundamental right to life and liberty enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a sinister surveillance machine designed to monitor every Indian. It is a tool to monitor every citizen’s every action, conversation, and decision. It is part of an attack on the constitutional rights of Indian citizens. This will not be allowed to continue. We reject this directive and demand its immediate withdrawal.

Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT Direction is beyond unconstitutional.

The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.

A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a… pic.twitter.com/kx33c7fmda

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) December 1, 2025

Sanchar Sathi’s achievements so far

This app has provided mobile security services to millions of people across the country. Millions of phones have been blocked, and the locations of a large number of stolen mobile phones have been traced. Millions of users have already prevented many fraudulent activities by verifying mobile connections operating in their names on this platform. Its downloads on the Play Store and App Store are steadily increasing, demonstrating its reliability and popularity.

New Rules for Mobile Companies

The government has clarified that all mobile phones manufactured now must have Sanchar Saathi pre-installed, and this app cannot be removed or disabled. Even older stock phones will be required to include this app through a software update. All companies, including Apple, Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi, must begin compliance with this order within 90 days and submit a report to the government within 120 days.

Government Objective

The DoT states that this move is a major improvement in reducing mobile fraud in India. It will help identify counterfeit handsets, report cyber fraud, track suspicious activity, and protect citizens. Considering all these aspects, it was necessary to make communication partner mandatory.