Sanchar Saathi App: How it Functions, Key Features, Highlights, and Installation Permissions

The Department of Telecommunication has forced smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi App software on all new cellphones being launched in India. Below is a list of all permissions the application will be asking for on the new smart device.

The Department of Telecommunications has ordered smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi, to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi software on all new devices released in India.  The cybersecurity app, announced earlier in the year, will also need to be distributed to already-manufactured devices via software updates.

The Union government has given smartphone manufacturers a 90-day timeframe to complete deployment and submit their findings within 120 days.  According to the government, the goal of this program is to guarantee telecom cybersecurity and prevent the misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime.

Here are all the details you need to know about the Sanchar Saathi app if you’ve never heard of it before, including any permissions it might ask for on your new smartphone.

What is Sanchar Saathi?

Sanchar Saathi is a government-run app that is a successor to the portal by the same name. Since its release, the software has been downloaded more than 5 million times and is compatible with both iOS and Android.

After installing the software, consumers can disable stolen or lost cell phones on all of the nation’s telecom networks. This allows law enforcement organizations to trace the location of the restricted device whenever it is used anywhere in the country.

The program additionally enables users to verify all the mobile connections enrolled under their name and report those that do not belong to them.

The program also contains a Chakshu service, letting users report fraudulent calls, SMS, or WhatsApp communications.

As for the explanation behind pre-loading the app on your new device, the government says: “TCS Rules empower the Central Government to issue directions to manufacturers of telecommunication equipment bearing International Mobile Equipment Identity number to provide assistance as required in relation to tampered telecommunication equipment or IMEI number. The guidelines also require these makers or importers to make sure that the Central Government’s directives are followed in order to implement the regulations.”

“Mobile handsets bearing duplicate or spoofed IMEI pose a serious endangerment to telecom cybersecurity. Spoofed or modified IMEIs in a telecom network lead to circumstances where the same IMEI is working in several devices at various locations simultaneously, and pose obstacles to action against such IMEIs. India has a huge second-hand mobile device market,” the official notification reads.

“Cases have also been observed where stolen or blacklisted devices are being resold. It makes the purchaser an accomplice in crime and causes monetary damage. The prohibited or blacklisted IMEIs can be examined using the Sanchar Saathi app,” it added.

Apple Rejected GOI Plea To Preinstall Sanchar Saathi App in iPhones

A fresh tiff has started between the Government of India and Apple company as they refused to preinstall the novel Sanchar Saathi app in the Apple iPhones and other Apple products, stating the privacy concerns of its customers.

Hence, it will going to be Apple Vs India once more, as it happened in the instance of the spam calls app previously. Possibly. India has mandated that the Sanchar Saathi app be installed on all smartphones sold in the nation, both new and old. According to the government, the app is made to track lost or stolen smartphones and combat cybercrime. However, it is quite likely that Apple would oppose pre-installing Sanchar Saathi on iPhones due to the app’s breadth.

What permissions does Sanchar Saathi require?

We discovered that the Sanchar Saathi app wants access to a number of permissions, including call records, camera, notifications, phone calls, and SMS, after installing it on our Android device.  Apart from this, the program requires an internet connection to connect with its servers.

Is it mandatory to maintain the Sanchar Saathi app?

The answer is straightforward No as the Government of India has stated a notification and directed the citizens of India that this is app is not mandatory and can be deleted if someone does not want to maintain and go with this application.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has emphasized that the Sanchar Saathi software will not be uninstallable on new smartphones, contrary to initial expectations.

The Sanchar Saathi App’s Compulsory Pre-Installation Order has been Revoked

The retreat followed two days of protests from opposition leaders and civic groups amid worries that the pre-installation directive violates privacy rights.

Additionally, the government on Wednesday took back an order forcing the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity program on smartphones sold in the country.

The injunction to manufacturers – including American technology giant Apple, which was apparently contemplating a legal challenge – was dropped since “the amount of users who have downloaded the app (over six lakh in 24 hours and 1.4 crore users overall) has been rising quickly.”

In addition, the directive to pre-install “was intended to speed up this procedure”.

Moreover, the statement also reaffirmed what Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said yesterday and repeated in Parliament this morning – the app can be removed.

“The government, with an intent to provide access to cybersecurity to all citizens, mandated the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure and meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world. There is no other function other than protecting users… and they can remove the app…”

About The Author:

Yogesh Naager is a content marketer who specializes in the cybersecurity and B2B space.  Besides writing for the News4Hackers blogs, he also writes for brands including Craw Security, Bytecode Security, and NASSCOM.

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