India has reportedly ordered smartphone makers to pre-install its Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on all new devices and prevent users from deleting it. It is a move likely to spark pushback from Apple as the government seeks stricter control over IMEI misuse,

The government has ordered mobile manufacturers to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi app to combat IMEI tampering. This latest directive also covers devices already in the supply chain.

The central government stated that it is not mandatory to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. Users can choose whether to download the app or not. Furthermore, users can remove the app from their phones at any time.