Overview
- India’s Home Ministry and MeitY are reviewing the COAI proposal and have not made a decision, and a planned meeting with smartphone makers was postponed.
- The plan would require permanent A‑GPS activation on all phones, remove user opt‑outs, and suppress pop‑ups that notify when carriers access location.
- Apple, Google and Samsung have formally objected, and ICEA told the government the device‑level mandate has no global precedent and raises legal, privacy and security risks.
- Telecom operators argue tower‑based data is too imprecise and say meter‑level accuracy is needed for investigations, rescues and other lawful requests.
- Experts warn perpetual, precise tracking could turn smartphones into dedicated surveillance tools, as the debate intensifies days after the Sanchar Saathi preload order was withdrawn.