Sanchar Saathi App: India's Solution to Rising Cybercrimes with 42 Lakh Devices Blocked

New Delhi:

The Sanchar Saathi mobile app, launched on January 17 this year, has achieved remarkable success with over 1.4 crore downloads and has effectively blocked more than 42 lakh stolen or lost mobile devices, according to official data released on Tuesday.

With the app's assistance, authorities have managed to trace 26 lakh lost/stolen mobile phones, while 7.23 lakh devices have been successfully returned to their rightful owners. The Sanchar Saathi platform operates on a completely voluntary, user-driven basis with a privacy-first approach, activating only when users provide consent.

User privacy remains paramount in the Sanchar Saathi app's design. It operates exclusively with explicit user permission and provides complete control over activation and usage. The application becomes active only after the user chooses to register, and users retain the flexibility to activate, deactivate, or delete it at any time. The app has been specifically engineered to enhance India's cybersecurity infrastructure without compromising personal privacy.

The increasing prevalence of cyber threats has elevated the protection of mobile users to a critical national priority.

According to statistics from the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), cybercrime incidents have increased dramatically from 15,92,917 in 2023 to 20,41,360 in 2024. Digital Arrest Scams and related cybercrimes reported through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal reached 1,23,672 in 2024, with 17,718 cases already documented by February 2025.

In response to these growing threats, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) developed the Sanchar Saathi mobile app—a citizen-focused tool that delivers robust security features and fraud-reporting capabilities directly to smartphones.

This mobile application enhances the existing Sanchar Saathi web portal by offering convenient, on-the-go protection against various cyber threats including identity theft, fraudulent KYC operations, device theft, banking fraud, and other cybersecurity risks.

To strengthen this initiative, the Department of Telecommunications has issued directives requiring mobile manufacturers and importers to ensure the availability and accessibility of the Sanchar Saathi app on devices for users across India.

By providing citizens with user-friendly tools and immediate access to essential security features, the Sanchar Saathi mobile app represents a timely and effective solution to address India's increasing cybercrime challenges.

The app supports Hindi and 21 additional regional languages, making it inclusive and accessible throughout the country.

Sanchar Saathi places high emphasis on user privacy, collecting only the minimum personal information required to deliver its services. The platform does not create profiles for commercial marketing purposes, nor does it share user data with third parties. Data sharing is strictly limited to law enforcement agencies when legally mandated, ensuring protection against unauthorized access and misuse of personal information, according to the official statement.