India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

Medianama is also covering this well:

- https://www.medianama.com/2025/12/223-govt-sanchar-saathi-ap...

- https://www.medianama.com/2025/12/223-sim-binding-guidelines...

> For devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers should push the app to phones via software updates, the ministry said in its order, which was not made public and was sent privately to select companies.

As this sort of nonsense spreads, I await the inevitable first instance of a smartphone manufacturer accidentally pushing one of these spyware apps to users in a different national market.