Apple's Stance Against India's Sanchar Saathi App Mandate Raises Privacy Concerns

Dec 02, 2025 04:49 pm CST

Apple is preparing to challenge the Indian government's mandate requiring smartphone manufacturers to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi cyber safety app, citing privacy and security concerns for its iOS ecosystem. The directive, which affects major brands including Samsung and Xiaomi, has sparked criticism from opposition politicians and privacy advocates who fear increased government surveillance of India's 730 million smartphone users.