India's Telecommunications Ministry has required smartphone makers to pre-install state-owned cybersecurity apps on all new devices, a British newspaper reported.
This order, which was sent privately to companies and not made public, shows that the application cannot be removed by users. This move is expected to cause discomfort to Apple and privacy campaigners.
India is one of the world's largest phone markets, with more than 1.2 billion subscribers.
The order was issued on November 28, requiring major smartphone companies to have 90 days to pre- install an application called Sanchar Saathi on their new mobile phones. For devices already in the supply chain, the ministry requires manufacturers to push the application to their phones through software updates.
The Indian government said the app is essential to counter a "serious threat" to telecommunications network security. This threat comes from fake or fake IMEI mobile equipment identity numbers, which facilitate fraud and network abuse.
Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi are some of the companies bound by the new order. Although Apple often installs its own exclusive apps, its internal policy is to prohibit installing any government or third-party apps before sales.
Counterpoint research director tarun Pathak said that Apple has rejected similar requests from governments in the past. He predicts that Apple will likely seek an intermediary solution: Instead of a compulsory setup, they can negotiate and request an option to encourage users to install the application.
The Indian government's Sanchar Saathi app allows users to report suspicious calls, verify IMEI numbers, and block stolen devices through a central registration agency.
Since its launch in January, the app has had more than 5 million downloads. Government figures show that the app has helped restore more than 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone. The app also helps block more than 3.7 million lost or stolen mobile phones, and end more than 30 million fraudulent connections.
