The Indian government is demanding the introduction of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones of the country's citizens. According to the report, Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and other world-renowned smartphone manufacturers will be forced to install this app not only on new but also on existing smartphones within the next 90 days. This was stated in a statement released by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) on December 1.
Representatives of the authorities emphasized that this measure is necessary to combat cybercrime and fraud, as well as to inform citizens about the activities of the state. The Sanchar Saathi app helps to identify and block phones stolen or lost from smartphones. At the same time, users were able to restore data from about 700 thousand lost mobile phones through this application.
The Indian opposition and human rights defenders sharply criticized this new demand, calling it unconstitutional. They express concern that the government intends to establish surveillance over citizens through the Sanchar Saathi app.
According to Reuters, Apple does not plan to fulfill the requirement to pre-install this government app on its smartphones. At the same time, the company plans to inform the New Delhi government of its concerns.
Compliance with these requirements will mark the beginning of a new stage of technological innovation and public policy in the country. However, decisions in this area can also create new problems, as there is a possibility that this will affect the personal lives of citizens.
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