Sanchar Saathi launch triggers nationwide debate, with many calling it a privacy invasion

A major national debate has erupted after the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new devices within 90 days. The app designed to block stolen phones, verify IMEI authenticity, report scam calls and detect SIM misuse will appear during device setup and cannot be disabled at that stage, though the government says users may delete it later.

While the government argues the move strengthens cybersecurity in a nation with over 1.2 billion mobile users, critics say the directive crosses into intrusive state control and risks becoming a tool for mass surveillance.

Congress General Secretary and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp attack on the directive, calling the app “a snooping tool” and warning of a growing “dictatorial atmosphere.”

“Citizens have the right to privacy,” she said. “Everyone must be able to send messages to their family and friends without the government looking at everything. There’s a very fine line between reporting fraud and watching what every citizen is doing on their phone.” She added that Parliament itself was being stifled, saying, “A healthy democracy demands discussion, but the government is refusing to discuss anything.”

Priyanka Gandhi acknowledged the need for cybersecurity tools but argued that such measures should not become an “excuse to go into every citizen’s phone,” stressing that no citizen would feel comfortable with an app perceived as a surveillance mechanism.

Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia countered strongly, asserting that claims of snooping are “misleading and political.” He clarified that the app is not compulsory to use and can be removed from the device after setup. According to him, the directive addresses growing telecom fraud, fake IMEI circulation and large-scale phone theft, and is intended to provide a unified, national safety system not a surveillance tool.

Technology observers say similar services did exist before. Private apps like Truecaller flagged scam calls, while earlier government-backed tools and local police apps helped citizens report crimes or locate stolen phones. The CEIR system, which Sanchar Saathi integrates with, has also been available for blocking lost devices. However, those tools were voluntary, fragmented and inconsistent across states.

What makes the current move “shocking” for many is the scale and compulsoriness: this is the first time India has asked all smartphone makers to ship devices with a government app that users must encounter during setup. Experts say the centralised integration with national databases heightens concerns about data access, permissions and the potential for misuse in the absence of strong privacy safeguards.

Meanwhile, the DoT maintains that Sanchar Saathi has already helped recover more than seven lakh stolen devices and block millions of suspicious phones evidence, officials say, that a nationwide rollout is both timely and necessary.

The controversy highlights a fundamental tension between national security and individual privacy. Whether the app becomes a trusted safety tool or a flashpoint in India’s digital rights debate may depend on transparency, data-protection guarantees, and open parliamentary discussion, something both sides increasingly agree is overdue.