The idea is that the app should be visible on the phone right from the moment you turn it on for the first time.
Manufacturers have been given a strict compliance timeline:
90 days to start shipping all new phones with the app included.
120 days to report full compliance to the government.
For phones already in shops or already owned by users, the DoT is encouraging companies to push the app via software updates, though this may not be forced in every case.
📲 What Sanchar Saathi actually does
The government presents the app as a digital safety and anti-fraud tool. Its key features include:
Check your phone’s authenticity using its IMEI number
View all mobile numbers registered with your Aadhaar/identity
Report and block lost or stolen phones
Report suspicious or fraudulent calls/SMS
Identify blacklisted or tampered devices
Essentially, the government says it helps fight:
cyberfraud
SIM misuse
illegal phone cloning
sale of fake phones
Why it became controversial?
As soon as the mandate became public, privacy groups, opposition politicians, and digital rights advocates raised alarms.
Their concerns include:
Pre-installing a government-controlled app could create a backdoor for mass surveillance.
Users fear it could track phone activity or identity data without clear oversight.
Forcing apps on all phones goes against global norms of user choice and device freedom.
The controversy grew because early reports indicated the app could not be removed, making it feel like a compulsory government tracker.
Some companies — especially Apple — reportedly pushed back, saying this goes against their privacy standards and international policy practices.
Government’s clarification after backlash
Facing criticism, the Communications Minister clarified:
The app will be pre-installed, but
Users can delete it if they want to.
The government insists:
It is not a surveillance tool,
It does not spy on users, and
It is purely for user protection.
They point to past successes of the Sanchar Saathi platform, like helping block fraudulent SIMs and recovering stolen devices.
What it means for everyday smartphone users
If you buy a new phone in the coming months, it will almost certainly have Sanchar Saathi already on it.
According to the government’s latest statement, you can uninstall it, so it is not forced on your daily use.
Many people may find it useful for checking second-hand phones or managing SIM cards.
Privacy-conscious users remain skeptical because pre-installation sets a precedent for deeper control over personal devices.
