Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday sought to calm public concerns after widespread uproar over the Centre’s direction to mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new phones sold in India. Responding to privacy-related questions, the minister emphasised that using the app is “entirely optional” and that users remain free to delete it if they choose.
While the directive triggered fears of surveillance and data monitoring, Scindia stressed that the app involves no tracking, spying or call monitoring, and is simply a customer-protection tool designed to curb rising cyber fraud across India.
‘If You Want to Delete It, Delete It’: Scindia
Answering reporters’ questions on the controversy, Scindia said the Centre’s intention was being misrepresented.
“Don’t activate it. If you want to keep it in your phone, keep it. If you want to delete it, do so,” he said. Drawing a comparison with other pre-installed apps, he added, “For example, when you buy a phone, many apps come pre-installed. Google Maps comes too. Now, if you don’t want to use Google Maps, delete it.”
However, while Google Maps cannot be deleted from most Android phones, it can be disabled. It can be deleted on iPhones.
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The minister insisted that the government was only trying to “shatter myths” surrounding the app and highlight its intended purpose. “This is a matter of customer protection. There is nothing mandatory. If you do not want to register it, don’t. It will stay dormant. And if you want to delete it, delete it,” he noted.
Centre Says Aim Is to Combat Cyber Fraud
Scindia reiterated that the directive to pre-install Sanchar Saathi was aimed at ensuring wider access to an app that many citizens may not know exists.
“Not every person in the country knows that there is an app to protect him or her from fraud. So it is our responsibility to spread the information,” he said.
The Sanchar Saathi platform, developed by the Department of Telecommunications, allows users to check their registered mobile connections, report stolen phones, and block suspicious numbers. Officials say the app has helped block thousands of fraudulent devices and recover stolen ones.
Privacy Concerns Triggered Public Outcry
Despite the government’s clarifications, digital rights groups and users online raised concerns about privacy, data access, and whether a pre-installed cybersecurity app could open backdoors for state surveillance.
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However, Scindia underscored once again that the app does not collect personal data, nor does it track calls or messages. “If you want, activate it; if you don’t, then don’t activate it… If you don’t want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional,” he said.
With the minister’s reassurance, the government hopes to ease public anxiety while still expanding awareness of the app’s fraud-protection functions.
