The Indian government has mandated the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi application on all new smartphones manufactured or imported into the country. This directive, issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and importers to ensure the app is readily accessible to users from the initial setup. Crucially, no features within the Sanchar Saathi app can be disabled or restricted by the manufacturers.
Launched in May 2023, Sanchar Saathi is a vital government portal aimed at bolstering user safety and combating mobile-related fraud. It empowers users with a suite of essential services. These include the ability to report and block lost or stolen mobile phones, identify all mobile connections registered under their name, and verify contact details for banks and financial institutions. Additionally, users can check the authenticity of a handset, flag suspicious communications, and report international calls masquerading as local numbers without needing OTP verification.
This move is expected to significantly streamline fraud reporting processes, as users will no longer need to navigate separate websites. The initiative has already demonstrated considerable success, with millions of mobile phones blocked and recovered, and numerous requests for information on mobile connections successfully resolved. Millions of downloads across both Android and iOS platforms indicate its growing importance.
The government’s decision to pre-install Sanchar Saathi aims to protect consumers from counterfeit devices, facilitate prompt reporting of telecom misuse, and enhance the overall efficacy of the fraud prevention platform. Manufacturers have been given a 90-day window to implement the changes, with a compliance report due within 120 days.