India Reverses Mandate for Pre-Installed Security App on Smartphones

The Indian government has withdrawn a controversial order that would have required all new smartphones to come with a pre-installed government security application. Officials issued the mandate on Friday but reversed it within hours following significant public criticism and pushback from technology companies. The directive gave manufacturers 90 days to include the "Cert-in" app, named for the Computer Emergency Response Team. Authorities described the app as a tool to enhance cybersecurity by collecting information about potential threats. Digital rights advocates and industry groups raised immediate privacy and surveillance concerns. They argued that forcing pre-installation could give the government excessive access to user devices. The swift policy reversal highlights the growing public and corporate influence on technology regulation in India. The "Cert-in" app remains available for voluntary download from official app stores. The government has not indicated if it will revise and reintroduce the mandate at a later date.