The Indian government quietly mandated that all smartphones sold in the country must come pre-installed with Sanchar Saathi, a state-owned cybersecurity app that users cannot delete or disable.
The app tracks lost phones and blocks stolen devices. But it requires deep permissions. It can read messages, access phone data, make calls, and view photos. Privacy advocates warn these permissions could be expanded overnight to scan for banned apps, flag VPN use, or monitor SMS patterns.
The directive was sent secretly to manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, giving them 90 days to comply. Apple has already indicated it won't follow the mandate, citing privacy concerns.
Only a handful of countries have tried similar measures—Russia, China, and North Korea, which puts India in uncomfortable company.
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