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India’s move to mandate the Sanchar Saathi app on new devices has raised questions at Apple. The tech giant is considering delaying or challenging the requirement. Apple’s reservations are believed to stem from privacy standards, ecosystem integrity, and the broader implications of mandatory app installation.
Apple is planning to quietly resist a new government order in India, according to Reuters reports. It further reported that the tech giant plans to tell the government that it does not comply with such requests due to concerns about user privacy and device security.
Sanchar Saathi is designed to help users track and block lost or stolen phones using their device’s IMEI number. The app is already available for download on both the App Store and Google Play Store.
The government notified on November 28, 2025, “Phone companies must ensure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted.”
The new order reportedly requires companies to preload the app on all new phones and push it to existing users through software updates.
While Apple plans to refuse the new directive, it does not want to challenge the government openly. According to the report, the iPhone-maker will neither fight the order in court nor publicly criticise it.
The Sanchar Saathi app requires deep system-level access to function. Apple’s iOS sandbox architecture is designed specifically to prevent apps from having this kind of unfettered access. Apple’s brand is built on the promise that “what happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.”
The app description on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store mentioned that it does not collect personal data. However, after installing the app on an Android phone, it asks for permissions like phone and SMS access. It also asks for the camera, call logs, or notification access. These permissions may be needed for certain features, but they still raise concerns.
It is unclear if the app is mandatory or not. The DoT circular said it must be pre-installed on phones, and users cannot disable, modify, or delete it. However, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified “It was not mandatory” and that “users would be able to uninstall”, which is contrary to the directive that DoT had issued.
It is also unclear whether smartphone makers must provide the app service. DoT is yet to issue an updated circular.
This is not the first conflict between Apple and the government of India. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) demanded that Apple allow its “Do Not Disturb” app on the App Store to help users report spam calls in 2016.
Apple refused for nearly two years. Apple argued that allowing any app, even one that is backed by the government, to read a user’s call history was a violation of privacy.
The conflict ended in a compromise. The tech giant didn't give the app direct access to logs. Apple built a specific framework in iOS 12 that allowed users to report spam through the system without exposing their entire call history to the app. Apple designed a new bridge, which could also be the case with Sanchar Saathi.
Apple assembled around $22 billion worth of iPhones in India in FY25. It accounts for a massive share of the country’s electronics exports. It ships over $10 billion worth of devices globally. Apple is aggressively expanding its retail presence, with a fifth flagship store set to open in Noida in December 2025. Even more Apple stores are planned next year.
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If the Indian government makes this app mandatory, it will be interesting to see how Apple responds. The government knows Apple needs the Indian market to diversify away from China. Apple also knows that the government needs the “Make in India” success story to continue. A direct ban on iPhones for non-compliance would risk India’s export targets and manufacturing-related jobs.
Apple’s response to the Sanchar Saathi preload mandate will play a crucial role in shaping how global tech companies navigate regulatory expectations in India.
