Sanchar Saathi
Type of site | Government services |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Indian Government |
| URL | sancharsaathi |
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | Mandatory and Optional |
| Launched | May 2023 |
| Current status | Active |
Sanchar Saathi is an Indian government web portal, owned and operated by the Department of Telecommunications, designed to assist Indian mobile users in tracking and blocking lost smartphones, as well as in preventing identity theft and fraudulent KYC activities, using the CEIR module.[1] Users receive a request ID to check and potentially unblock the IMEI in the future.[2]
History
In May 2023, Indian Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the portal.[3][4]
On 28 November 2025, a government order gave major smartphone companies 90 days to ensure that this app is pre-installed on all new devices intended for sale in India, with a provision that users cannot disable it.[5][6] This move was criticized by cybersecurity experts, who raised concerns regarding surveillance and data collection. One source has reported that Apple would not comply with this mandate, due to privacy concerns. The main opposition party, the Indian National Congress has demanded that the mandate be rolled back.[7][8][9]
On Dec 3, 2025, the government revoked the order stating that “Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre- installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers”. [10]
Several opposition leaders also raised concerns. Uddhav Thackeray alleged that the government had effectively “renamed Pegasus as Sanchar Saathi”, claiming it could enable state surveillance of citizens.[11] He stated that the app amounted to “spying on people,” referencing earlier controversies surrounding Pegasus. His remarks followed the Ministry of Communications’ order mandating the app’s pre-installation on all new and existing smartphones.
The government, however, rejected these allegations. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated in Parliament that the app has no snooping or call-monitoring capability, and that users may keep it inactive or delete it if they choose.[12]
References
- ^ "Lost your phone? Indian govt launches 'Sanchar Saathi' to help you find it: Details". WION. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ^ Balaji, Madhu (2023-05-18). "What is Sanchar Saathi? How to use, track and block your lost phone". BusinessLine. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ^ "Sanchar Saathi online portal to track, block lost mobile phones launched". mint. 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ^ "Sanchar Saathi Portal". National Portal of India. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ^ "Government to Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, OnePlus and other smartphone companies: Make sure all phones launched have this app pre-installed". The Times of India. 2025-12-01. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ "Sanchar Saathi: India mandates state-owned cyber safety app on all smartphones". BBC. 2025-12-02. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ Chaturvedi, Apran; Vengattil, Munsif. "Explainer: What is India's politically contentious Sanchar Saathi cyber safety app?". Reuters. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ "Sanchar Saathi: India mandates state-owned cyber safety app on all smartphones". www.bbc.com. 2025-12-02. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ "Apple refuses India's order to preload state cyber safety app Sanchar Saathi, cites privacy risks". Archived from the original on 2025-12-02. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ^ Govt revokes order mandating preloading of Sanchar Saathi app after backlash, Indian Express, December 3, 2025
- ^ "Uddhav Thackeray Calls Sanchar Saathi 'New Pegasus', Accuses Govt of Spying on Citizens". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
- ^ "'If you don't want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it': Minister on govt's mobile tracking app after 'snooping' row". Hindustan Times. 2025-12-02. Retrieved 2025-12-02.