What is Sanchar Saathi? Cyber security app the govt now wants on every new phone in India

The Indian government has quietly ordered all major smartphone manufacturers — including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo and others — to ship new devices with the Sanchar Saathi app pre-installed. The directive, said to have been issued on 28 November 2025, gives manufacturers 90 days to implement the change.  

Launched originally as a portal and then rolled out as a mobile app in January 2025 by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Sanchar Saathi is intended as a citizen-centric tool for telecom security — aimed at safeguarding users from mobile theft, fraud, and misuse of network resources.  

According to government officials, the move to mandate Sanchar Saathi on all new phones stems from rising concerns over telecom cyber-frauds, phone thefts, and misuse of devices with cloned or fake IMEI numbers — a troubling trend that threatens the integrity of the country’s mobile ecosystem.  

Key features of Sanchar Saathi  

Sanchar Saathi bundles several functions under one roof to help users safeguard their devices and identity. Key features include: 

• IMEI authenticity check (“Know Your Mobile”): Users can verify whether a smartphone’s IMEI number is genuine. This helps buyers avoid stolen or fake-IMEI phones, especially when purchasing second-hand devices. 
• Block or trace lost or stolen phones: If a phone is lost or stolen, users can request blocking of the device across networks via the central registry of IMEI (through the Central Equipment Identity Register, CEIR). Once blocked, the phone becomes unusable on Indian telecom networks. If recovered later, users can request unblocking. 
• Report fraudulent or suspicious calls/SMS/communication (“Chakshu” feature): The app allows users to flag suspected spam, phishing, or scam calls/SMS/other messages for authorities to act upon. It also helps report malicious links and suspicious telecom-related frauds, giving citizens a channel to report misuse.  
• Check mobile connections under their name: Users can view all mobile numbers registered in their name, and report or block any unauthorised or unknown connections — helping prevent identity misuse or fraudulent SIM issuance.  

Officials say that since its launch the app has seen millions of downloads and has already helped block and recover a substantial number of stolen or lost devices. 

Will users be able to uninstall the app? 

Under the new directive — if implemented — the Sanchar Saathi app won’t just come pre-installed: it will also be non-removable. Users will not be given the option to delete or disable the app from new devices. 

For phones already manufactured but yet unsold (in supply-chain, warehouse, retail inventory), companies have been asked to push the app via a software update. The government appears to regard Sanchar Saathi as an essential layer of digital and telecom-security, not an optional utility.  

Sanchar Saathi links each device’s unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) to a central registry (CEIR). If a phone is lost or stolen, users can report it and request blocking of that IMEI — rendering the device unusable on any Indian mobile network. This prevents thieves or fraudsters from re-using or reselling stolen phones.   

What it means for users 

With this mandate, any new smartphone you buy in India — whether Android or iPhone — will likely come with Sanchar Saathi pre-installed, without your ability to remove it. That means more people will have access to tools that can block stolen phones, check IMEIs, report fraud, and monitor mobile connections under their name. For honest users, this could add a layer of protection against theft and telecom fraud. 

However, the non-removable nature of the app has already raised concerns among privacy advocates and global phone manufacturers, who argue that mandatory pre-installation without user consent may infringe on user choice and raise privacy considerations. 

As this directive rolls out over the next 90 days, everyday phone-buyers in India — new or old buyers — will likely begin experiencing this change first-hand.