Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told reporters on Tuesday that the government’s Sanchar Saathi app isn’t compulsory, and users are free to delete it if they wish. “If you don’t want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional… It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it in their devices or not is up to the user,” he said, adding that the platform “does not enable snooping or call monitoring.”
Scindia’s comments come amid criticism that the government’s mandate to pre‑install the app on every new handset in India infringes on privacy. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra described the move as a “violation of privacy and a step toward authoritarian governance.” The government, however, argues that the app helps protect people from purchasing counterfeit mobile devices.
The Ministry of Communications released guidelines on 28 November requiring manufacturers and importers to make the Sanchar Saathi app visible and usable right after the first setup of the device. The app’s features must remain fully functional, and existing devices already on sale should receive updates pushing the app to users. Companies must complete these updates within 90 days and submit a compliance report after 120 days.
The Department of Telecommunications says the initiative is aimed at curbing misuse of telecom resources for cyber‑fraud and strengthening overall cybersecurity. A separate statement noted that several app‑based communication services use Indian mobile numbers to identify users even when the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) isn’t present in the device. This loophole can be exploited for cross‑border cyber‑fraud. The issue of SIM binding in messaging apps—and its potential for abuse—has been flagged by multiple government agencies and an inter‑ministerial group.
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