Government drops mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday announced that it has withdrawn the mandate requiring mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones, citing a significant rise in voluntary downloads and increasing public confidence in the platform.

The Ministry of Communications explained that the app, which is designed to protect citizens from cyber fraud and telecom-related offences, has seen strong adoption in recent weeks, making a compulsory installation rule unnecessary.

“So far, 1.4 crore users have downloaded Sanchar Saathi, helping report nearly 2,000 fraud incidents every day,” the ministry said. It also noted that “in the last 24 hours alone, six lakh citizens registered to download the app, marking a tenfold jump in its uptake”.

Why has the mandate been withdrawn?

According to the government, the original mandate was intended to ensure that less-aware users were also equipped with basic cybersecurity tools. However, the recent surge in voluntary adoption has prompted the Centre to roll back the requirement.

“Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, the Government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” the Centre said.

The ministry stressed that the app is safe, contains no surveillance functions and is solely aimed at protecting citizens from fraudsters and enabling them to report cyber wrongdoing. Users are free to delete the app at any time, it added, stating that the platform supports “jan bhagidari” by allowing citizens to participate in tackling cybercrime.

What did the Minister say about snooping allegations?

The announcement came shortly after Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia firmly dismissed allegations of snooping in Parliament. Speaking during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, he said the app does not monitor users and remains inactive unless they choose to register.

“Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app,” Scindia said. He reiterated in Hindi, “Sanchar Saathi app se na snooping sambhav hai, na snooping hoga.”

He emphasised that the platform is intended only to help users protect themselves from digital threats, including fake mobile connections, fraudulent calls and lost or stolen devices.

IANS inputs