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New Delhi:Now ‘Sanchar Sathi’ app will be mandatory in all new mobile phones in India, fake devices and cyber fraud will be curbed. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued an important order on Monday making it clear that pre-installation of ‘Sanchar Sathi’ app will be mandatory in every new mobile phone manufactured or imported in India. The objective of this step is to make it easier to check the authenticity of mobile phones and to prevent misuse of telecom services.

According to this instruction issued on November 28, 2025, the app should be easily visible and simple to use during the initial setup process of the phone. Manufacturing companies will not be allowed to hide, disable or limit any feature of the app. Companies will have to comply with the direction within 90 days and submit compliance report within 120 days. It will be added to the phones already present in the market through software update.

What is Sanchar Sathi App?

• ‘Sanchar Sathi’ is a citizen-centric platform, created with the aim of curbing cyber frauds and strengthening telecom security. It lets users:

• You can check the authenticity of mobile handset through IMEI number.

• Can report suspicious calls or messages

• Can report a lost or stolen phone

• You can view information about all mobile connections issued in your name

• Can get contact details of trusted banks and financial institutions

• The initiative is supported by the Telecom Cyber ​​Security (TCS) regulations, which empower the government to issue IMEI instructions to manufacturers.

Why did this step become necessary?

DoT has warned that duplicate or spoofed IMEIs pose serious security risks, including the same identifier being active on multiple devices simultaneously. India’s large second-hand mobile market has also seen an increase in cases of stolen or blacklisted phones being sold, causing buyers to unwittingly become embroiled in criminal activities.

Sanchar Sathi app helps to check if an IMEI is blocked or blacklisted. The order said tampering with telecom identifiers, including the 15-digit IMEI of a mobile phone, is a ‘non-bailable’ offence. Under the Telecommunications Act 2023, the punishment for this can be imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh or both.

This order will be applicable to all major mobile manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung, Google, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi. The app is also available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

opposition protest

The opposition has reacted sharply to this order of the government. Congress has termed the directive for mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Sathi app as ‘unconstitutional’ and demanded its immediate withdrawal. Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said that this step is a violation of the privacy of citizens, which is part of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty. He said that elder brother cannot keep an eye on us. This instruction of the Department of Telecommunications is beyond unconstitutional. The right to privacy is an integral part of the fundamental right to life and liberty enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.

Apart from this, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray also indirectly criticized this move calling it ‘dictatorial tendency’ and expressed concern while sharing the post of journalist Nikhil Pahwa.