Government Withdraws Mandatory Pre-Installation Rule for Sanchar Saathi App

Government Withdraws Mandatory Pre-Installation Rule for Sanchar Saathi App

Indian Government has withdrawn its decision mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones, citing strong public acceptance and rapid user growth.

Ministry of Communications confirmed that the app, which is designed to protect mobile users from cyber fraud and misuse, will continue to remain optional.

Originally Sanchar Saathi app was introduced to empower citizens in safeguarding themselves from online threats, the app also enables users to report fraudsters and helps authorities crack down on cybercrime. The app does not perform any function other than user protection and can be uninstalled at any time, the Government clarified.

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So far, over 1.4 crore users have downloaded Sanchar Saathi, contributing to reports of nearly 2,000 fraud cases every day.

In just the last 24 hours, more than 6 lakh citizens registered to download the app, marking a tenfold jump in adoption—an encouraging indication of growing public trust.

With this rising acceptance, the Government has now decided that mobile manufacturers will not be required to pre-install the app on new smartphones. The initiative continues to support “Jan Bhagidari” by encouraging citizens to actively participate in combating cyber fraud.

Department of Telecommunications has urged users to stay updated and make informed use of digital safety tools through its official social media channels.