The Government of India has withdrawn the earlier directive that required mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones. The decision comes in light of the app’s rapid voluntary uptake by citizens across the country.
Launched to enhance cyber security and enable “Jan bhagidari” (public participation) in combating online fraud, Sanchar Saathi empowers users to report suspicious numbers, block fraudulent calls and messages, and check the authenticity of devices. The government has repeatedly clarified that the app is completely secure, has no additional functions beyond user protection, and can be uninstalled at any time by the user.
Since its launch, over 1.4 crore citizens have voluntarily downloaded the app. In the last 24 hours alone, 6 lakh new users registered — marking a 10-fold surge in daily downloads. On average, users are now reporting around 2,000 fraud incidents every day through the platform.
“Citizens have reposed tremendous faith in Sanchar Saathi. The sharp rise in voluntary downloads clearly shows that people want this protection tool,” an official statement read. Given this strong public acceptance, the government has decided that mandatory pre-installation is no longer required to accelerate adoption.
The app will continue to remain freely available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store for anyone who wishes to install it.
