On November 28, 2025, India’s Department of Telecommunications made it compulsory for all smartphone manufacturers and importers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on every phone sold or activated in India. The app must be visible and ready to use from the first time the phone is switched on. Phones already in the market will get the app through software updates. Manufacturers have 90 days to comply and 120 days to report compliance. Sanchar Saathi was launched in May 2023. It helps users verify if their phone’s IMEI number is real, blocks fake or stolen devices, and reports potential telecom fraud. The government says this helps protect consumers and telecom networks from stolen or cloned phones. However, unlike voluntary locating services like Apple’s Find My, Sanchar Saathi is mandatory and state-controlled. This raises serious privacy questions. The app could allow the government to track devices, monitor activity, and gather data without users' consent. Internationally, democracies usually keep such security apps optional to protect user privacy. In contrast, countries with tighter digital control, like Russia, have forced state apps on phones, drawing criticism for surveillance overreach. India’s move puts it closer to the latter model. While the government claims the app secures telecom networks, it also increases state access to personal devices. This may change how privacy is viewed and accepted in the future. The key question remains: Is the fight against phone theft worth embedding government software into everyone’s phone without choice?