The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed smartphone manufacturers like Apple, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on their new devices to be launched in India. The cybersecurity app launched earlier this year will also need to continue through software updates to already manufactured devices. The Union government has given a timeline of 90 days for smartphone manufacturers to complete the implementation and submit the report within 120 days. The department says that this initiative aims to ‘restrict misuse of telecommunications resources for cyber fraud and ensure telecommunications cyber security.’ If this is the first time you’re hearing about the Sanchar Saathi app, here’s everything you need to know about it and the permissions it might ask for on your new device. What is Sanchar Saathi? Sanchar Saathi is a government run app which is a successor to the portal of the same name. The app is available on both the iOS and Android and has been downloaded more than 5 million times since its launch. Once the app is installed on their device, users can block lost or stolen mobile phones across all telecom networks in the country. This allows the law enforcement agencies to track his location when the blocked device is used anywhere in the country. The app also allows users to check all the mobile connections registered under their name and report those that do not belong to them. There is also a ‘Chakshu’ facility in the app which gives users the option to report fraudulent calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages. Regarding the reason behind pre-loading the app on your new device, the government says, “TCS Rules empower the Central Government to issue directions to manufacturers of telecommunication equipment bearing International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number to provide assistance as required in respect of tampered telecommunication equipment or IMEI number. The Rules also direct that such manufacturers or importers shall ensure compliance with the purpose of the government by complying with the purpose of the issuers give. rules.” “Mobile phones carrying duplicate or fraudulent IMEI pose serious threat to telecom cyber security. Spoofed/tampered IMEIs in telecom network lead to situation where same IMEI works on different devices at different locations simultaneously and poses challenges in action against such IMEIs. India observed huge “C second hand official mobile device market where also not read”. Blacklisted devices are resold. This makes the buyer face crime and it causes financial loss. It was initially believed that the Sanchar Saathi app would be uninstallable, but the Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindhia clarified that this will not be the case. After installing the Sanchar Saathi app on our Android device, we found that the app will require access to a host of permissions, such as call logs, phone calls, and SMS up to internet connection required to connect with the servers.