"Snooping Is Not Possible": Centre Doubles Down On Sanchar Saathi App

The Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app - at the centre of a row after the government mandated its installation on all smartphones sold in the country - cannot be used to 'snoop' on people or access private data, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told Parliament Wednesday.

The Government of India-backed app can also be deleted if the user wishes or not activated, Scindia said in attempts to pacify opposition MPs red-flagging potential 'spying' by the centre.

"Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app," Scindia said in the Lok Sabha, "And I can delete it like any other app... as every citizen has this right in a democracy. We took this step (ordering the app to be pre-installed) to make it accessible to all."

"The success of the app is based on public participation. But now, based on feedback from the public, we are ready to bring a change in the order," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

Scindia's comments in the House this afternoon were repeats of an X post Tuesday.

"This is a completely voluntary and democratic system - users may choose to activate the app and avail its benefits, or if they do not wish to, they can delete it at any time," his post said.

READ | Sanchar Saathi Mandatory? Minister Clarifies Amid "Snooping App" Row

He told reporters outside Parliament the same thing, throwing in a reference to Google's Maps app as an example; "... when you buy a phone, many apps come pre-installed. Google Maps comes too. Now, if you don't want to use it (you can) delete it," he explained.

देश के हर नागरिक की डिजिटल सुरक्षा हमारी सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता है। ‘संचार साथी' ऐप का उद्देश्य है कि प्रत्येक व्यक्ति अपनी निजता की रक्षा कर सके और ऑनलाइन ठगी से सुरक्षित रह सके।

यह एक पूरी तरह स्वैच्छिक और लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था है-यूज़र चाहें तो ऐप को सक्रिय कर इसके लाभ ले सकते…

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) December 2, 2025

Google's Maps application can be deleted, but only from an iPhone. However, in mobile devices based on the internet search giant's Android operating system, it can only be disabled.

Scindia was responding to a query by the Congress' Deepender Singh Hooda, who, in turn, referred to the Communications Minister's Tuesday clarification - that the app can be deleted.

"The Union Minister (had) said it (the app) will be pre-installed. But later he said the user can delete it. However, when a pre-loaded app is deleted, users may not know if all the features have been disabled. Is not this an attack on privacy? There are concerns over snooping."

RECAP | Centre Orders Preloading Of Smartphones With This Cybersecurity App

Hooda was expressing concerns flagged by many on social media - that even if the Sanchar Saathi app remains inactive on their phones, it can be secretly activated.

Scindia responded, "We (have) decided to give a choice... If the app is on your phone, it does not mean it will operate automatically. Till the user registers in the app, it will not operate."

'Ridiculous', fumes opposition

The government has come under fire from the opposition over concerns the Sanchar Sathi app can be used to spy on private citizens, an echo of the 2021 Pegasus spyware scandal.

Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Karti Chidambaram were among those to express such concerns. "It is ridiculous. Citizens have the right to privacy. This isn't just about snooping on telephones - overall, they are turning this country into a dictatorship," Gandhi Vadra said.

"This has been done in Russia and North Korea (and) now they want to snoop on our private photos and videos," Chidambaram told NDTV.

Other opposition leaders were similarly incensed; Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena group, called it "another BIG BOSS surveillance moment".

The app - specifically the provision it cannot be removed and the number of root permissions it needs to operate - was also criticised by civil society activists.

What Is Sanchar Saathi?

It is a security and awareness platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and can be accessed as an app - available for both Android and Apple devices - and web portal.

NDTV Explains | What Is Sanchar Saathi Cybersecurity App

The government has said it is to help people manage their digital identities, report suspicious activity, and safeguard their devices, as also offer educational material on telecom safety and cyber risks.

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