New Delhi, December 3: The Ministry of Communications announced on Thursday that it has revoked the decision to make the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory on mobile phones imported or manufactured in India. The move comes just days after the proposal was made, with the government deciding not to enforce the rule, citing the app's growing acceptance among Indian users.

In a statement, the Ministry clarified that the initial mandate to pre-install Sanchar Saathi was aimed at enhancing cyber security for all citizens. The app was designed to protect users from cyber threats, allowing citizens to report fraudulent activity and bad actors in the digital space. The government emphasized that the app serves only this purpose and can be uninstalled at any time by the user.

"The app's role is solely to assist users in staying safe online. There are no other functions, and users are free to remove it if they wish. This has been clarified by the government," the statement read. According to the Ministry, over 1.4 crore people have downloaded the app, and it is currently helping to report around 2,000 fraud incidents daily. The government also highlighted the rapid increase in users, pointing to a recent surge of 6 lakh new registrations in just one day, marking a tenfold growth in the app's adoption.

Previously, Union Minister for Telecommunications Jyotiraditya Scindia had reassured the public that the app could be deleted from mobile devices and would remain inactive until the user registered. Addressing the Lok Sabha, Scindia refuted concerns about the app being used for surveillance. In response to a query from Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Scindia stated, "We have over a billion mobile users, and while most use them responsibly, there are bad actors. It's the government's responsibility to ensure citizens' safety. The Sanchar Saathi portal was launched in 2023 with this objective, and the app was introduced in 2025 to provide users with an added layer of protection."