Overview
- The Ministry of Communications on December 3 withdrew the compulsory preloading directive, saying Sanchar Saathi will remain a voluntary download that users can remove.
- The original November 28 DoT order had required pre-installation on all new phones, a software update for existing devices, and that the app’s functionalities not be disabled or restricted.
- Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the app is optional and cannot be used for snooping, and a government explainer stated it seeks limited, user-granted permissions without accessing the microphone, location, Bluetooth, or the operating system.
- Opposition leaders and digital-rights groups, including the Internet Freedom Foundation, denounced the mandate as a privacy violation and initiated legal and policy scrutiny, noting the order’s non‑disableable clause.
- Industry players such as Apple were reported to have raised compliance concerns and are engaging with the government to clarify implementation and deletion rights.