Apple refuses to preinstall India’s Sanchar Saathi app

Apple does not plan to preinstall a government-mandated cybersecurity app on its devices in India, Reuters reports.

The company has no intention of complying with the Indian government’s request to ship its devices with the Sanchar Saathi app. According to the report, Apple also plans to formally raise concerns with New Delhi over the privacy implications of such a requirement.

Earlier, the Indian government confidentially approached several manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi, requesting that they preinstall the Sanchar Saathi app on all devices within 90 days.

The app is intended to help track stolen phones, block them and prevent misuse, Reuters notes.

According to the agency’s sources, the directive has already stirred significant political debate in India. Authorities want every smartphone sold in the country to include the state-run cybersecurity app. Apple is resisting the mandate, while other manufacturers are reassessing their compliance options.