🔗 Share this article

In a major step, India's telecommunications department has confidentially directed mobile phone companies to include all new devices with a national cybersecurity application that is non-removable. This mandate, which was revealed, is set to concern leading tech companies like Apple and raise questions among consumer watchdogs.

An International Shift in Cybersecurity Regulation

To combat a rising tide of cybercrime and device misuse, India is aligning with authorities across the globe. This move echoes recent regulations framed in countries like Russia, which are designed to prevent the use of lost phones for illicit activities and encourage official service apps.

Which Companies Are Bound by the Directive?

The recent mandate binds key mobile phone companies active in the Indian market. Among them are Apple, which has in the past had disagreements with regulators over comparable applications, as well as giants like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

The Fine Print of the Official Mandate

An order dated 28 November allots smartphone companies a 90-day deadline to guarantee that the official "Messenger Friend" application is factory-loaded on all new handsets. A notable provision is that owners are prevented from deleting the software.

For devices currently in the retail pipeline, manufacturers are required to push the application via system patches. It is notable that this directive was not made public and was sent privately to select companies.

Digital Rights Worries Expressed

However, technology specialists have expressed major worries regarding this decision. A legal expert focusing in technology matters commented that India's step is a cause for concern.

“The government effectively eliminates user consent as a real choice,” said Mishi Choudhary, an expert working on digital rights matters.

Consumer organisations had previously criticised a comparable requirement by Russia in August for a state-backed communication app to be included on phones.

The Scope of the Indian Smartphone Landscape

India, among the world's largest mobile markets, boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users. Official figures show that the Sanchar Saathi application, introduced in January, has reportedly helped locating over 700,000 lost phones, with an estimated 50,000 found in October by itself.

The authorities argues that the tool is essential to tackle the “grave endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which are used for fraud and network abuse.

The Tech Giant's Stance

Apple's iOS runs on an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the rest using Android, according to market research. While Apple pre-installs its own proprietary applications on its devices, its internal guidelines are said to ban the installation of any third-party application before the purchase of a smartphone.

“Apple has in the past refused these kinds of mandates from authorities,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s likely to aim for a middle ground: rather than a forced pre-install, they might negotiate and propose an alternative to encourage users towards downloading the app.”

Queries for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unresponded. India’s telecommunications ministry also did not respond.

Understanding the IMEI and the Application's Purpose

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a unique identification number unique to each mobile device. It is most commonly used by networks to cut off network access for phones reported as stolen.

The government application is primarily created to help users track and locate lost or stolen smartphones across all mobile carriers, using a central registry. It also allows them to detect, and disconnect, unauthorised mobile connections.

Notable Usage and Results

With more than 5 million installs since its release, the app has reportedly been used to block more than 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Furthermore, over 30 million illegal connections have also been terminated through its use.

The government asserts that the app helps combating cyberthreats and assists in the locating and blocking of missing phones, thereby aiding police in recovering handsets and keeping cloned devices out of the black market.