- The decision marks a rare policy shift for the Modi government.
- Congress and technology companies question the legality of the measure.
- The Indian government says it is backing down due to the app’s popularity.
India’s government on Wednesday scrapped an order for smartphone makers to preload a state-run cybersecurity app on all new devices after an outcry from politicians, privacy advocates and global tech companies over surveillance fears.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had privately told companies including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi on November 28 to preload new phones with a non-deletable app called Sanchar Saathi within 90 days. Reuters was the first to report on Monday.
“The government has decided not to make pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” India’s communications ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
The move comes after protests by opposition parties over the issue, while newspaper editorials joined privacy advocates in denouncing the move.
The government also found itself at odds with phone makers as Apple and Samsung planned to not comply with the directive, the sources said.
Just a day earlier, government ministers had defended the plan, saying the app only helps track and block stolen phones and prevent their misuse.
“The app is secure and intended solely to help citizens against bad actors in the cyber world,” the government said in its statement on Wednesday, saying it was backtracking because the app was gaining popularity.
Data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower showed a 13% increase in daily downloads to 78,000 on Monday.
Political protests, privacy concerns
The U-turn will be an embarrassment for Modi’s government, however, and follows a reversal last year in a laptop import licensing policy after pressure from U.S. officials, which would have required companies to obtain licenses for shipments.
Earlier on Wednesday, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a notice to Parliament that the government needed to clarify the legal authority to “mandate a non-removable app” and called for a debate on privacy and security risks.
“The serious, serious and real fear is also that a compulsorily installed application could have a backdoor, thus absolutely compromising the user’s data and privacy,” he added.
Free speech rights group Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) welcomed Wednesday’s move but said it was waiting for a legal order explaining the decision.
Modi’s plan had little precedent, according to industry sources. Russia may be the only other known example. In August, Moscow ordered that a state-backed messaging app called MAX, a WhatsApp rival that critics said could be used to track users, had to be pre-installed on all mobile phones and tablets.
Modi has faced criticism over privacy issues in the past. In 2020, his government was criticized for a mandatory Covid-19 contact tracing app for office workers. That measure was later watered down into a request when privacy advocates protested.
