In an Orwellian move, India has decided to copy Russia, and demand that phone makers pre-install the app "Sanchar Saathi", that despite looking like something the early childhood of smart phones, and having very basic functionality, looks like a pure spy app, and the fact that it can't be deleted doesn't help. The app is marketed as helping users avoid fraud, protect against phone theft and promote general government services.
The demand was made directly to Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and a number of other large smart phone brands by the Indian government on the 28th of November, with a 90 days compliance window. This even includes existing phones getting it via software updates
According to sources interviewed by Reuters, Apple is extremely concerned about surveillance of the users, thus following the general public uproar as political opponents of the Modi administration and privacy advocates are very concerned on behalf of the 700+ million smartphone users estimated to be active in India.
These concerns have only been strengthened by a clear difference in messaging, as Reuters inside sources says that the demand made to Apple included that the app cannot be deleted nor disabled, while the Indian telecom minister J.M Scindia yesterday claimed that the app was voluntary, and can "easily be deleted", which goes against his directive sent to Apple and others that according to Reuters included the phrasing "its functionalities are not disabled or restricted."
The sources also revealed that Apple has additional security concerns on top of the privacy ones, for their iOS platform, should such a directive be implemented, and are under no circumstances willing to follow the Indian directive.
Google and Apple, both having local manufacturing and booming sales in the region, has not responded to any media requesting comments at the time of writing.