Some phone makers, such as Apple, were reportedly opposed to the mandate. Sources said Apple would discuss the issue with the government and work out a middle path, as the order cannot be implemented

Apple refused to preload the Sanchar Saathi app despite the government mandate, highlighting the company’s privacy concerns, the political backlash and the wider industry uncertainty as the debate over surveillance and digital security intensifies.

New Delhi wants a government app installed on all of the country's mobile phones, but opposition MPs and privacy advocates have voiced concerns about surveillance.

Cybersecurity experts explain what Sanchar Saathi can and cannot solve as India expands the app to all smartphones, raising questions about fraud prevention and privacy.

Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani addressed privacy concerns, clarifying that the app's primary purpose is to facilitate the reporting of online fraud.