What is Sanchar Saathi app and why govt wants it on every mobile phone?

The government mandated all manufacturers to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi mobile application is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India

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The government has been working to protect people from purchasing fake mobile phones and to make it easier for them to report any suspected misuse of telecom services.

 

With this aim, the Ministry of Communications on Monday mandated all manufacturers to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi mobile application is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India.

 

Let's take a look at what the Sanchar Saathi app is, how you can use it, and why the government wants it to be pre-installed in smartphones.

What is Sanchar Saathi app?

Sanchar Saathi is a citizen-centric initiative of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which is aimed at empowering mobile subscribers, strengthening their security and increasing awareness about government initiatives.

Services available on Sanchar Saathi app

The initiative is aimed at curbing the misuse of telecom resources for cyber fraud and ensuring telecom cybersecurity. The Sanchar Saathi portal and mobile app enable citizens to:

• Report suspected fraud through the Chakshu feature
• Stop unwanted commercial calls
• Spot harmful web links
• Block a lost or stolen phone
• Check mobile connections in their name
• Verify if a handset is genuine
• Report international calls that show an Indian number
• Find their internet service provider
• Get trusted contact details of banks and financial institutions

 

How to download Sanchar Saathi app

Sanchar Saathi is available in the form of a mobile app and web portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in). Users can download the Sanchar Saathi app by searching for 'Sanchar Saathi' on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and installing it from there. 

Permissions required

The Sanchar Saathih app requires several permissions, including the permission to access calls, messages, and photos, among others. These permissions are needed in Android devices:

• Make and manage phone calls: To detect mobile numbers
• Call/SMS logs: To report any calls/SMS
• Photos and files: To upload the image of a call/SMS that needs to be reported
• Camera: While scanning the barcode of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) to check its genuineness

Meanwhile, in iOS, it only requires accessing photos, files and the camera. However, Apple does not plan to comply with a mandate to preload its smartphones with the safety app and will convey its concerns to the government, Reuters reported. 

Why Sanchar Saathi is needed

Fake or changed International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers on mobile phones create serious security concerns. When the same IMEI appears on different phones in different places, it becomes difficult to track these numbers and take action.

 

India has a large second-hand phone market, and sometimes stolen or blacklisted phones are sold again. This can unknowingly make buyers part of a crime and cause financial losses. To curb such issues, the government has launched the Sanchar Saathi app, which can help people check if an IMEI is blocked or blacklisted.

Cybercrime on the rise

According to the government data, with over 86 per cent of households connected to the internet, cybersecurity incidents in India doubled from 1.02 million in 2022 to 2.26 million in 2024. At the same time, the financial toll is becoming more pronounced, with cyber frauds amounting to ₹36.45 lakh reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) as of February this year.

 

New kinds of scams are growing. Criminals use spoofing to appear like trusted people, and deepfakes made with artificial intelligence are also being used. Phishing messages and emails often trick people into sharing private information, making these scams even more harmful.

 

Even Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the country's most popular digital payment system, is being misused through stolen or compromised mobile numbers.

What is the govt doing?

According to the recent guidelines, the DoT has mandated all mobile manufacturers and importers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on every phone made or brought into India. The manufacturers also need to ensure that the app is clearly visible and fully usable during the initial setup.  However, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said that the government’s Sanchar Sathi app is not mandatory for users. He added that users are free to remove it from their devices if they wish.

 

The DoT has also directed to add the Sanchar Saathi app via software updates on phones already on the market. The work must be finished within 90 days, and a compliance report needs to be submitted within 120 days.