New Delhi: In a significant policy shift, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has withdrawn its order that mandated mobile handset manufacturers to pre-install the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ application on all smartphones. The government issued a clarification on Wednesday stating that the pre-installation of the cyber security app is no longer mandatory, citing the application’s rapid voluntary adoption and “increasing acceptance” among citizens.

The controversy stems from a DoT order dated November 28, 2025, which directed mobile phone manufacturers to ensure the Sanchar Saathi app was pre-installed on all new smartphones. Furthermore, the directive required manufacturers to push the app to existing devices via software updates. The move was initially framed as a measure to enhance digita

See Full Page