🔗 Share this article India Directs Smartphone Makers to Pre-install Devices with National Cybersecurity App In a notable decision, India's telecoms authority has privately asked mobile phone makers to preload all new phones with a national cybersecurity tool that must remain installed. This mandate, which has been disclosed, is expected to concern leading technology companies like Apple and prompt concerns among privacy advocates. A Global Shift in Cybersecurity Policy To combat a rising tide of online fraud and phone theft, India is aligning with governments internationally. This action echoes similar measures introduced in countries like Russia, which aim to block the use of lost phones for illicit activities and encourage official service apps. Which Companies Are Impacted by the Order? The recent mandate affects major mobile phone companies active in the Indian market. These include Apple, which has in the past locked horns with the telecom authority over comparable apps, as well as leaders like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi. Specifics of the Government Mandate An order dated 28 November provides phone companies a three-month deadline to guarantee that the government's "Messenger Friend" app is included on all new devices. A notable provision is that users cannot disable the app. For phones currently in the distribution network, companies are directed to deliver the application via system patches. It is important that this directive was privately circulated and was communicated in confidence to chosen firms. Digital Rights Apprehensions Expressed However, legal analysts have expressed significant apprehensions regarding this policy. A legal expert focusing in technology law stated that India's action is a reason to worry. “The government practically eliminates user consent as a meaningful choice,” commented Mishi Choudhary, an advocate working on digital rights issues. Digital rights groups had previously criticised a comparable requirement by Russia in August for a government-sponsored communication called Max to be included on phones. The Scope of the Domestic Market India, among the world's biggest mobile markets, boasts over 1.2 billion connections. Official data indicate that the cybersecurity app, introduced in January, has already assisted in recovering more than 700,000 stolen phones, with an estimated 50,000 recovered in October by itself. The government contends that the tool is essential to tackle the “significant endangerment” of telecom cybersecurity from cloned or tampered IMEI numbers, which facilitate scams and system misuse. Apple's Likely Response Apple's iOS powers an approximate 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India, with the vast majority using Android, as per industry analysis. While Apple pre-installs its own first-party apps on its devices, its company rules reportedly prohibit the inclusion of any third-party app before the sale of a smartphone. “Apple has historically declined such demands from authorities,” said Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint. “It’s likely to aim for a middle ground: instead of a forced pre-install, they might discuss and propose an alternative to encourage users towards installing the app.” Requests for response from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Xiaomi went unresponded. India’s telecommunications department also remained silent. The Role of the IMEI and the App's Function The IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, is a 14- to 17-digit number assigned to each handset. It is primarily used by operators to disable network access for phones flagged as lost. The government application is mainly intended to enable users block and locate missing smartphones across all telecom networks, using a central database. It also allows them to spot, and disconnect, illegal mobile connections. Notable Usage and Outcomes With over 5 million installs since its release, the software has reportedly helped block more than 3.7 million missing mobile phones. Moreover, more than 30 million illegal connections have also been disconnected through its use. The authorities states that the software helps combating digital threats and helps in the locating and disabling of missing phones, thereby helping police in tracing devices and preventing counterfeits out of the illicit trade.