Sanchar Saathi app: essential guide for every user.
All new or imported phones after 90 days must come pre-installed with the Sanchar Saathi app.
New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a directive requiring all new mobile phones manufactured in India or imported into the country to come pre-installed with the Sanchar Saathi app, a government tool aimed at reporting telecom-related fraud and verifying the authenticity of mobile devices. The order, dated November 28, mandates that manufacturers and importers ensure compliance within 90 days of its issuance.
For devices that have already been manufactured and are present in sales channels across the country, manufacturers and importers are required to push the Sanchar Saathi app through software updates. Furthermore, the DoT has asked mobile phone companies to submit compliance reports within 120 days of the directive, ensuring that the app is visible, accessible, and fully functional from the moment a user sets up the device.
The Sanchar Saathi app allows users to report suspicious misuse of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and verify the authenticity of IMEIs used in their mobile devices. Tampering with telecom identifiers, including the 15-digit IMEI, is a serious offence under the Telecommunications Act 2023. Violations can lead to imprisonment of up to three years, fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, or both.
While the government frames the move as a step toward enhanced cybersecurity and fraud prevention, the directive has sparked widespread concern and criticism from opposition leaders, digital rights activists, and even some political allies.
Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP K.C. Venugopal described the directive as a “blatant assault on the Constitution” and “the final nail in the coffin of personal privacy.” In a strongly worded statement, Venugopal wrote: “Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT direction is beyond unconstitutional. A factory-fitted, non-removable government app on every Indian’s phone is nothing but state spyware dressed up as ‘cyber security’.”
Venugopal further warned that the pre-installed app, which cannot be uninstalled, could become “a dystopian tool to monitor every movement, every interaction, every personal decision of 1.4 billion citizens.” He drew parallels with previous controversies such as Pegasus spyware and VPN bans, calling the Sanchar Saathi directive “the latest episode in the BJP’s relentless war on constitutional rights” and demanding its immediate rollback.
Digital rights organisations have echoed similar concerns, highlighting risks to privacy, potential misuse of data, and the challenges of securing sensitive personal information on government-mandated apps. Opposition-led state governments have also expressed unease, warning that the measure may infringe on citizens’ fundamental rights while creating operational complications for mobile manufacturers and importers.
Despite the criticism, the government has maintained that the Sanchar Saathi app is an essential tool for protecting users against telecom fraud and ensuring device authenticity. Officials insist that pre-installation will help consumers quickly verify the legitimacy of their devices and report suspicious activity, thereby enhancing overall cybersecurity in India’s rapidly growing mobile market.
As the debate intensifies, the directive has become a flashpoint in the larger conversation about the balance between digital security and individual privacy, raising questions about the role of government in regulating personal devices in a technology-driven society.