India orders mandatory govt cybersecurity app on new phones: What it means for users and manufacturers?

India’s telecoms ministry has instructed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a government-run cybersecurity application on all new devices, according to a Reuters report. The move, which requires the Sanchar Saathi app to be embedded in handsets without the option for users to delete or disable it, is expected to trigger friction with Apple and draw scrutiny from digital rights groups concerned about privacy.

Reportedly, the decision comes as India, one of the world’s biggest mobile markets with more than 1.2 billion subscribers, seeks tighter…