Apple to reject govt's order to pre-install Sanchar Saathi app: Report

Amid a political row over the Narendra Modi government’s direction on pre-installing the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ app in new mobile devices sold in the country, it has been reported that Apple has no plan to comply with the idea and would inform the government about its concerns.

According to a Reuters report, the government has secretly asked three companies, including Apple, to install the cyber-safety app in their handsets within 90 days. The app is meant to track phones that have been stolen, block them and prevent their misuse.

Also read: Sanchar Saathi can be deleted, not mandatory, says Scindia

The government also wants the makers to ensure that the app cannot be disabled. Reuters also reported on Monday (December 1) that manufacturers were also ordered to push the app to phones that are already in the supply chain through software updates.

Govt has tried to play it down

While the telecom ministry tried to portray the move as one to tackle “serious endangerment” of cyber security with Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia even saying on Tuesday (December 2) that the users could delete the app from their phone if they did not want to use it, the Opposition and advocates of privacy have slammed the move, saying it was a design to gain access to more than 700 million smartphones that are in use in the country.

Apple to tell govt it doesn't follow such order

Apple, which is not in agreement to comply with the mandate, is set to tell the Centre that it doesn’t follow such a directive anywhere since they lead to privacy and security issues for the tech firm’s iOS ecosystem, Reuters reported, citing a couple of sources that are familiar with the American company’s concerns.

Also read: Sanchar Saathi row: Priyanka alleges snooping, Government hits back

“It's not only like taking a sledgehammer, but this is also like a double-barreled gun,” one of the sources told the agency on condition of anonymity. The other source said the company doesn’t plan to take a legal route or public stance on the matter, but would tell the government of its inability to follow the order owing to security risks.

The app controversy has happened at a time when Apple is engaged in a legal battle with a watchdog in the country over the antitrust penalty law.

Also read: Apple to source, produce all its mobile phones in India in years to come: Scindia

The Opposition has criticised the move, likening it to the Pegasus controversy that rocked the country a few years ago, under which the government was accused of snooping on Opposition leaders and high-profile individuals, including journalists, through spyware.