Government’s new ‘Sanchaar Saathi’ mandate sparks privacy, constitutional concerns

The Modi government is set to introduce a mandatory telecommunications app that will be installed on every mobile phone in the country, triggering widespread alarm among privacy advocates, opposition parties, and digital rights experts.

The app, Sanchaar Saathi, will come pre-installed on all new devices from March next year and will also be pushed to existing phones through operating system updates.

According to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the app aims to help users block stolen phones, verify the authenticity of IMEI numbers, and report spam calls.

The DoT also claimed that the app has already been used to trace thousands of lost devices. Manufacturers have been instructed to begin compliance within 90 days and submit implementation reports within 120 days.

However, the app’s extensive permissions have caused intense criticism. As per the permission list, Sanchaar Saathi will be able to:

• Access and read call logs and record call-related information

• Read, send, and view SMS messages

• Access device identity and status

• Use the phone camera to capture photos or videos and view existing media

• Read, modify, or delete shared storage files

• Auto-run upon phone restart, prevent the device from sleeping, and control vibration

• Access network information and check licences of other installed apps

• Read all incoming notifications

Though users may attempt to disable these permissions, the app is designed to automatically re-enable them.

Opposition parties have condemned the plan, calling it a direct assault on privacy. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said the directive violates the fundamental right to privacy under Article 21.

“A government-installed, undeletable app is essentially a surveillance tool over every Indian citizen,” he posted on X.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi termed the move “another Big Boss-style surveillance mechanism”, warning that intrusive monitoring of personal devices will face fierce public resistance. Aaditya Thackeray also labelled the decision “dictatorial”.

Experts fear the app could allow implantation of files on devices without user knowledge — a scenario reminiscent of allegations in the Bhima Koregaon case, where independent investigations suggested evidence may have been remotely planted on activists’ computers.

Govt readies another rule: mandatory SIM-binding for messaging apps

Alongside Sanchaar Saathi, the government is also preparing to enforce SIM-binding for all messaging platforms — including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and Snapchat. Under DoT’s directive, these apps must ensure they function only when the SIM used for account verification is present in the device. If the SIM is removed or replaced, the app must automatically stop working, including on web versions.

Web sessions will be forcibly logged out every six hours, requiring fresh QR-based verification from the registered SIM.

The government argues the measure is needed to curb cybercrime. However, cybersecurity experts remain sceptical, noting that fraud persists despite stringent verification technologies like AI-based KYC and video-KYC.

Critics say the combination of SIM-binding and the Sanchaar Saathi app signals the emergence of a full-surveillance architecture, effectively placing every citizen’s device under continuous government oversight.