India Reverses Mandate for Preloaded Security App on Smartphones

The Indian government has canceled a major policy requiring a cybersecurity app on all new smartphones. Officials have withdrawn the order for the preinstallation of the government-developed "Cyber Security" application. The rare reversal follows significant criticism. Politicians, digital privacy groups, and major technology companies all raised objections to the plan. They argued that mandatory preinstallation raised surveillance and privacy concerns. The policy would have applied to every new device sold in the world's second-largest smartphone market. The government has not announced a replacement plan. The decision highlights the ongoing global debate over national security, user privacy, and government authority in the digital space.