Sanchar Saathi storm: safety or surveillance?

When a government quietly tells smartphone makers to preload an app on every phone sold in the country and doesn’t let users delete it, people notice. Especially in a country like India, where privacy concerns are already sky-high and digital trust is in short supply.

That’s exactly what happened when the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a directive mandating all smartphone manufacturers in India to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app and ensure it cannot be uninstalled or disabled.

No warning. No user consent. No opt-out. Just software shoved into your pocket.

Suddenly, everyone from opposition leaders to privacy advocates and meme-makers started crying foul. Some called it “Pegasus-plus-plus”; others, a “BIG BOSS surveillance tool.” The outrage lit up social media. But under the noise lies a real question: is this a security app or a state surveillance weapon?

What is Sanchar Saathi anyway?

On paper, Sanchar Saathi is your phone’s digital guardian angel. It’s part of a broader initiative by the government to empower users, tackle cyber fraud, and help recover stolen phones.

The app offers a buffet of tools:

• Chakshu, to report spam, phishing attempts, and fraud calls.

• Lost phone reporting, to block and trace stolen devices across telecom networks.

• Check mobile connections, to find out how many SIMs are registered under your ID.

• Verify handset authenticity, by checking your phone’s IMEI.

• Report suspicious international calls, that appear to come from Indian numbers.

It’s already helped block over 3.7 million stolen phones and assisted in recovering 2.6 million devices. It even boasts over 10 million downloads across platforms, according to the Sanchar Saathi website.

So… what’s the problem?

The real heat: mandatory, non-removable, and all-seeing

The problem isn’t that Sanchar Saathi exists. It’s how the government is forcing it onto users, and how deep the app’s hooks go into your device.

Let’s break that down.

1. No choice. No uninstall.

The DoT has told all phone makers, from Apple to Xiaomi, to preload the app on every phone sold or imported into India starting November 28.

For phones already in circulation, manufacturers are to push it via software updates. And users cannot remove it.

That’s not just a security update; that’s an invasive install. For many users, it’s a red flag.

2. Sweeping permissions

The app demands access to:

• Camera and photos – to scan IMEI and upload images.

• Call and SMS logs – to autofill details for reporting spam or fraud.

• Manage phone calls and send SMS – for registration and validation.

• Network state – to track and block lost phones.

• Device information – including IMEI and active SIMs.

Sure, some of this makes sense for a phone-tracking tool. But when you pair this with no option to disable it, it starts looking like a backdoor.

Even if the app’s intention is clean, the implementation feels dirty.

Big Brother or big blunder?

Critics, of course, are having a field day. Here’s what they’re saying:

• Karti Chidambaram, Congress MP, called it “Pegasus plus plus.”

• John Brittas, CPI(M) MP, joked about “brain implants” being next.

• Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP, slammed it as another “BIG BOSS surveillance moment.”

• Tehseen Poonawalla, political analyst, called it “surveillance at its worst.”

The heart of their concern: loss of privacy, lack of transparency, and the government’s growing appetite for digital control, all served under the banner of “safety.”

And perhaps they have a point. The way this was rolled out, without public discussion, debate, or disclosure, feels less like governance and more like overreach.

Apple, Android, and the OEM dilemma

Now imagine you’re a phone maker. You’ve spent years crafting a privacy-forward brand (hello, Apple). Suddenly, you’re told to install a permanent government app on every device. No choice. No exceptions.

Naturally, there’s pushback.

• Apple has previously refused similar requests from regulators.

• Industry insiders say the government didn’t consult OEMs before the directive.

• There are fears that this could become a precedent for forced software installs.

Let’s not forget: Apple’s App Store policy prohibits preloading third-party or government apps without user consent. If Apple resists and Android OEMs comply, the user experience in India might splinter — privacy on one side, state surveillance on the other. Thought App is avilble on the App store to download if user wants to.

Beneath the code, a question of trust

Even if Sanchar Saathi has no malicious intent today, what’s to stop it from becoming more powerful tomorrow?

Apps can change with updates. New permissions can be added quietly. Functions can evolve. And if there's no way to delete or disable it, users have no way to say no.

It’s not just about this app. It’s about the direction digital governance is taking.

• Will future government apps also come baked in?

• What checks exist to ensure this doesn't morph into a Pegasus-style spyware?

• Where’s the transparency?

• Where’s the consent?

Sanchar Saathi isn’t spyware, but it is a signal

To be fair, comparing Sanchar Saathi to Pegasus, which was covert, weaponized spyware, is an exaggeration. Pegasus was a secret weapon. Sanchar Saathi is a public policy. But the way it’s being imposed feels eerily similar. No opt-in. No oversight. Just mandatory surveillance baked into your phone. Whether it becomes an actual tool for surveillance or not, the perception damage is already done. The government’s intent may be safety, but its method reeks of control.

Safety without consent isn’t safety

Sanchar Saathi is a useful tool. It may help catch scammers, find stolen phones, and curb cybercrime. But when you remove user agency, even the best-intentioned software becomes problematic.

The government must ask itself:

• Why not make the app optional?

• Why not allow uninstalls?

• Why not build trust instead of forcing compliance?

Because in the digital age, trust is the true cybersecurity tool. And when trust breaks, no app — no matter how secure — can patch it.

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