Apple to Defy India’s ‘Undeletable’ App Mandate
Toggle Dark Mode
Apple intends to refuse a mandate from the Indian government that would force it to preload an undeletable state-run security app on all iPhones sold in the country.
The app would not only be pre-installed on new iPhones sold in the country, but Apple would be required to push it out to all previously sold devices, presumably as part of an iOS software update. The directive also explicitly requires the app to be permanently installed, meaning users would have no way to remove it.
The new rules aren’t just targeting Apple; India’s Department of Telecommunications will also require all other smartphone makers to preinstall an appropriate version of the app, push it to devices already in the supply chain, and, potentially, to existing users via a software update. The companies have 90 days to comply with the mandate.
However, sources told Reuters that Apple plans to push back, refusing to install the app on iPhones sold in the region and telling Indian officials that it does not comply with orders of this type due to the associated risks to users’ privacy and security.
“It’s not only like taking a sledgehammer, this is like a double-barrel gun,” said one of the sources.
Apple and the telecom ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
While Apple may eventually be forced to comply to continue selling the iPhone in India, it is heartening to see Apple refusing to comply with the directive rather than yielding to government pressure.
The app, Sanchar Saathi, is already available in the Indian App Store for users to voluntarily install on their iPhones. It allows users to report lost or stolen devices and request carriers to block the device’s IMEI number. Users can also report scammers and other types of fraudulent phone calls.
However, the government wants to increase the app’s reach to help fight smartphone theft, as criminals often clone or spoof IMEI numbers on stolen handsets. India’s telecom ministry describes the pre-installation of the app as a security measure that helps it better fight the “serious endangerment” to cybersecurity.
The mandate has sparked a political firestorm. The country’s main opposition, the Congress Party, has called the move unconstitutional, with leader Rahul Gandhi stating he plans to speak about the app in Parliament and call for the mandate to be rolled back. They argue the app could be used to track India’s 730 million smartphone users. “Big Brother cannot watch us,” said KC Venugopal, a top Congress leader, in a post on X.
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia stated today that the app is a “voluntary and democratic system” and can be “easily deleted.” While that’s technically true as things stand now, Scindia’s comments conveniently ignore the looming deadline in the government’s own confidential directive. That order, seen by Reuters, gives manufacturers 90 days not only to pre-load the app but also to ensure its “functionalities are not disabled or restricted,” effectively stripping users of the option to delete it in the near future.
The Modi government continues to promote the app as a way to battle a growing black market for stolen smartphones. The telecom ministry said in a statement on Monday, “India has big second-hand mobile device market, cases have also been observed where stolen or blacklisted devices are being re-sold.”
