Sanchar Saathi Cybersecurity App: Government Clarifies No Snooping Capability and Optional Installation

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed Parliament that the Sanchar Saathi app can be deleted.

New Delhi:

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed Parliament on Wednesday, assuring that the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app - which recently sparked controversy after the government ordered its pre-installation on all smartphones sold in India - cannot be used for 'snooping' or accessing private data.

Scindia clarified that the Government of India-backed application can be deleted by users if desired or simply left inactive, in an effort to address concerns raised by opposition MPs regarding potential government surveillance.

"Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app," Scindia stated in the Lok Sabha. "And I can delete it like any other app... as every citizen has this right in a democracy. We took this step to make it accessible to all."

"The success of the app is based on public participation. But now, based on feedback from the public, we are ready to bring a change in the order," the BJP leader added.

Scindia's parliamentary statements echoed his Tuesday post on X, where he wrote: "This is a completely voluntary and democratic system - users may choose to activate the app and avail its benefits, or if they do not wish to, they can delete it at any time."

When speaking with reporters outside Parliament, Scindia drew a comparison to other pre-installed applications: "When you buy a phone, many apps come pre-installed. Google Maps comes too. Now, if you don't want to use it, delete it."

Notably, while Google Maps can be deleted from iPhones, on Android devices it can only be disabled.

Scindia was responding to Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, who referenced the minister's earlier clarification about app deletion. Hooda expressed concern: "When a pre-loaded app is deleted, users may not know if all the features have been disabled. Is not this an attack on privacy? There are concerns over snooping."

Addressing these concerns, which many have voiced on social media about potential secret activation of the app, Scindia responded: "We have decided to give a choice... If the app is on your phone, it does not mean it will operate automatically. Till the user registers in the app, it will not operate."

The opposition has strongly criticized the government over Sanchar Saathi, drawing parallels to the 2021 Pegasus spyware controversy. Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the situation "ridiculous" and claimed "they are turning this country into a dictatorship," while Karti Chidambaram told NDTV, "This has been done in Russia and North Korea, now they want to snoop on our private photos and videos."

Priyanka Chaturvedi from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction described it as "another BIG BOSS surveillance moment."

Civil society activists have also raised concerns about the app's required root permissions and the initial mandate that it couldn't be removed.

Sanchar Saathi is a security and awareness platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), accessible as both a mobile app (for Android and Apple devices) and web portal. According to the government, it helps users manage digital identities, report suspicious activities, safeguard devices, and provides educational materials on telecom safety and cyber risks.