India reportedly asks smartphone makers to pre-load state-owned cyber safety app Sanchar Saathi on new devices

"India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has privately asked smartphone makers to pre-load all new devices in India with its cyber safety app Sanchar Saathi, reports Reuters. The publication claims that a November 28, 2025, order by the DoT gives smartphone brands 90 days to ensure all new mobile phones are pre-loaded with the Sanchar Saathi (pronounced: sun-chaar saa-thi) app, with the provision that users cannot disable it."

"The order, meant to tackle a surge in cybercrime and hacking, also asks phone makers to push the Sanchar Saathi (translation: communication partner) app via software updates to devices already sold in India. Smartphone companies affected by the directive include Apple, Samsung, Oppo, vivo, and Xiaomi. DoT describes Sanchar Saathi as "a citizen centric initiative" to "empower mobile subscribers, strengthen their security and increase awareness about citizen centric initiatives of the Government.""

"Some notable services of Sanchar Saathi include allowing users to block their lost/stolen mobile phones, verify the genuineness of their mobile handset, and check whether there are mobile connections in their name. Data shared by the DoT reveals over 4.2 million lost/stolen mobile phones have been blocked, while more than 2.6 million mobiles have been traced with the help of Sanchar Saathi."

India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ordered smartphone makers to pre-load its Sanchar Saathi cyber safety app on all new devices sold in India, with a 90-day compliance window from a November 28, 2025 order and a requirement that users cannot disable the app. The order also requires push distribution via software updates to devices already sold. Major manufacturers affected include Apple, Samsung, Oppo, vivo and Xiaomi. Sanchar Saathi enables blocking lost or stolen phones, verifying handset genuineness, and checking mobile connections in a subscriber's name. The platform reports over 11 million registrations, 4.2 million blocked phones, and 2.6 million traced devices.

Read at GSMArena.com