AA Edit | Sanchar Saathi: Security vs Liberty Or Govt Overreach?

India today stands at a digital crossroads — one route will take us to cybercrime and another will lead to us being watched always. Officials of the department of telecom (DoT) appears to have decided on behalf of 145 crore Indians that it is in the best interests of people to cede some privacy. As a result, it directed mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all handsets sold in India.

The order was initially shrouded in secrecy, which became public only after a news agency broke it. The government claims that the step is an essential tool to counter rising cybercrime, especially smartphone thefts, SIM misuse, fake KYC identities and online financial fraud, but the directive raises legitimate concerns about privacy and autonomy.

It is obvious for people to fear surveillance the moment an app was pre-installed by the government mandate. Unlike many Western economies, India still lacks a comprehensive data-protection ecosystem with independent oversight even years after the Supreme Court declared the right to privacy as one of the fundamental rights.

Sceptics fear that an app pre-loaded into every phone regardless of user consent sets a bad precedent that could transform India into another China, where the citizens are always under watch. Following a strong pushback, communication minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that Sanchar Saathi will only be installed by default and individuals are free to opt out.

In spite of the clarification, the larger question remains: Why attempt to enforce installation without first building trust and transparency? Why can the DoT not float a consultation paper on the proposed idea, seeking opinions from people and industry?

Similarly, the DoT has also directed messaging and VoIP platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and others to bind their services to an active SIM card present in the user’s device. The stated intent again is to prevent cybercrime.

Technically and legally, this decision may assist law-enforcement agencies in curbing online crime. But it comes at a cost — the new restriction risks reducing convenience and may be technologically outdated in a world rapidly moving towards eSIMs and number-independent communication identities.

With the country witnessing an explosion of financial fraud, loan-app scams, deepfake impersonations and digital blackmail cases in recent years, the government is right to worry about cybercrime and ignoring this menace would be irresponsible. However, citizen privacy should not be sacrificed at the altar of cyber security.

It is essential for the government to balance both the goals. If it is imperative for people to forgo certain privacy or freedom, they should at least be allowed to make an informed decision. Every policy change concerning privacy must be adopted through a consultative process. The best way to fight cyber threats is to make every Indian into a cyber crime fighter by improving digital literacy. A nationwide digital awareness movement should be undertaken at every institution and office. If anybody is still unable to handle the complexities of the digital world, he or she should be allowed to opt out of it.