🔗 Share this article

In a significant step, India's telecoms ministry has confidentially instructed smartphone companies to preload all new handsets with a national cybersecurity app that must remain installed. This order, which has been disclosed, is set to concern major technology firms like Apple and prompt concerns among digital rights groups.

A Global Shift in Cybersecurity Regulation

To combat a rising tide of digital scams and hacking, India is aligning with authorities across the globe. This action parallels comparable rules enacted in countries like Russia, which aim to curb the use of lost phones for scams and push official applications.

Which Companies Are Bound by the Directive?

The new mandate affects key mobile phone brands operating in the Indian market. Among them are Apple, a company that has previously clashed with the telecom authority over comparable apps, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.

Specifics of the Government Order

An order dated 28 November provides smartphone companies a 90-day window to guarantee that the government's "Messenger Friend" application is pre-installed on all new devices. A notable provision is that users will not be able to remove the software.

For phones already in the supply chain, makers are required to push the application via system upgrades. It is important that this order was privately circulated and was communicated privately to select companies.

User Consent Concerns Raised

However, legal experts have raised major worries regarding this decision. A lawyer specialising in tech law stated that India's directive is a cause for concern.

“The government effectively erodes user consent as a meaningful choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on digital advocacy issues.

Digital rights groups had earlier condemned a comparable mandate by Russia in August for a state-backed communication app to be included on phones.

The Size of the Domestic Market

India, one of the world's largest mobile markets, boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users. Government statistics show that the cybersecurity app, introduced in January, has already assisted in locating more than 700,000 stolen phones, with an estimated 50,000 recovered in October by itself.

The government states that the app is essential to tackle the “serious endangerment” of mobile network cybersecurity from duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable illicit activities and network abuse.

The Tech Giant's Position

Apple's iOS runs on an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per market research. While Apple pre-installs its own first-party apps on its devices, its internal policies reportedly forbid the inclusion of any government application before the sale of a device.

“Apple has historically declined such demands from authorities,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint.

“It’s likely to aim for a negotiated solution: rather than a forced pre-install, they might discuss and ask for an option to prompt users towards downloading the app.”

Requests for comment from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unanswered. India’s telecoms ministry also remained silent.

Understanding the IMEI and the App's Function

The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number unique to each mobile device. It is typically used by networks to block cellular access for phones reported as stolen.

The government app is primarily designed to enable users block and track lost or stolen smartphones across all mobile carriers, using a central registry. It also allows them to spot, and block, fraudulent mobile connections.

Impressive Adoption and Results

With over 5 million installs since its release, the software has already been used to block over 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Furthermore, more than 30 million fraudulent connections have also been disconnected through its use.

The government claims that the app helps combating digital threats and assists in the tracking and disabling of missing phones, thereby helping police in tracing handsets and preventing counterfeits out of the black market.