Explained: What is Sanchar Saathi app and what it means for Every smartphone user

The Telecom Ministry has directed all smartphone manufacturers — including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and others — to pre-install the government’s Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on every new device sold in India. Companies have been given 90 days to comply, and the order specifies that the app must remain on the device, with users unable to remove or disable it.

Sanchar Saathi, developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), is a security and awareness platform available as both an app and a web portal. It is designed to help users manage their digital identity, report suspicious activity and protect their devices, while also offering educational resources on telecom fraud and cyber risks. The app is already available on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

The platform bundles a wide range of tools. Its Chakshu feature enables users to report suspicious calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages, including fake KYC alerts, impersonation attempts and phishing links; these reports help authorities identify fraud patterns, although actual cases of monetary fraud must still be lodged via 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in. Users can also flag spam calls and messages that violate TRAI regulations, with complaints submitted within seven days eligible for regulatory action.

The app supports reporting of unsafe links, malicious APKs and fraudulent websites, aiding the government’s monitoring of emerging cyber threats. It allows users to view all mobile connections registered against their identity, helping them spot unauthorised SIM cards issued in their name. A tool to block the IMEI of lost or stolen phones prevents their misuse, with the option to reverse the block if the device is recovered.

Sanchar Saathi can also verify the authenticity of a handset by checking its IMEI number — a particularly useful feature for people buying second-hand devices. Users may report cases where international calls appear as Indian numbers, a common method used by illegal telecom setups to evade detection.

Other features include the ability to look up wired internet service providers available in a given locality using a PIN code, address or provider name, and a directory for verifying genuine customer-care contact details of banks and major institutions.

The government argues that preloading the app is necessary given India’s 1.2 billion mobile subscribers and rising cases of device theft, impersonation and mobile-related cybercrime. Official data indicates that the platform has helped recover more than seven lakh lost or stolen phones since launch, including fifty thousand devices in October alone.

However, the mandate is stirring friction within the industry. Apple typically refuses to allow undeletable third-party apps, including government software, on its devices, and other manufacturers fear the move could set a precedent for further compulsory installations. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns that making the app mandatory affects user autonomy and raises questions about data handling, despite the government’s insistence that the initiative is aimed solely at improving security.