Mandatory Pre-Installation of Sanchar Saathi

On 1st December 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued directions requiring all mobile phones manufactured or imported for India to come with the Sanchar Saathi application pre-installed to strengthen telecom cybersecurity and curb fraud.

The DoT has mandated that the Sanchar Saathi app must be clearly visible and accessible during a user’s first device setup, ensuring no essential feature of the application is hidden, disabled, or restricted by manufacturers or importers.
The directive requires companies to push the Sanchar Saathi application through software updates for all devices already manufactured and currently circulating within sales pipelines so that older stock also remains compliant with the new rule.
A 90-day timeline has been set for full implementation of the pre-installation mandate, while manufacturers and importers must submit detailed compliance reports to the government within 120 days of the notification date.
Sanchar Saathi, launched by the DoT, enables users to verify handset authenticity through IMEI checks, report fraudulent communications, block stolen or lost phones, and review all mobile connections registered under their identity, thereby acting as a central tool against telecom-related cybercrimes.
The Telecommunication Cyber Security Rules empower the central government to direct manufacturers of devices bearing IMEI numbers to facilitate investigations involving tampered or fraudulent handsets, and the new mandate reinforces these legal obligations across the mobile ecosystem.