Sanchar Saathi App: Its Uses and the Political Storm Surrounding It

New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed all mobile handset manufacturers and importers to pre-install the cybersecurity application ‘Sanchar Saathi’ on all mobile phones starting November 28.

Manufacturers have been given 90 days to complete the implementation and 120 days to submit a compliance report.

However, the decision has sparked a major political controversy. Opposition parties have accused the government of “misusing state power” and “violating citizens’ privacy,” with some even alleging that the app could function as a surveillance tool. Amid the uproar, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified on Tuesday that the app is not mandatory for users.

The government maintains that the directive aims to curb rising cyber fraud and strengthen national security.

What is the Sanchar Saathi App?

Sanchar Saathi is a citizen-oriented initiative by the DoT designed to empower mobile users, enhance device security, and create awareness about government services related to telecommunications.

Available as both a mobile app and a web portal, Sanchar Saathi offers several features:

Blocking lost or stolen mobile phones

Verifying the authenticity of a device

Identifying international numbers that appear with Indian caller IDs

Informing users about their verified internet service provider

‘Chakshu’ feature to alert users about suspected fraud, malicious links, and unsolicited communication

Why the Controversy?

The political storm began after the DoT directed manufacturers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi on all smartphones meant for sale in India. The directive also states that:

The app must remain accessible during device setup

Its features cannot be disabled or restricted

Manufacturers must submit a compliance report within 120 days

Opposition parties argue that forcing a government app onto mobile phones threatens privacy and may open the door to state surveillance.

Opposition’s Reaction

Opposition parties strongly criticized the move:

KC Venugopal (Congress) said the directive amounts to unconstitutional overreach:
“Big Brother cannot watch us… A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool.”

Priyanka Gandhi (Congress) called Sanchar Saathi a “snooping app” and accused the government of pushing the country toward dictatorship.

Karti Chidambaram (Congress) compared the app to the controversial Pegasus spyware, calling it “Pegasus ++”, and accused the Centre of adopting a “Russian model” of surveillance.

Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena UBT) described the move as “another Big Boss surveillance moment” and said such intrusion would face strong resistance.

With inputs from IANS