Is the Sanchar Saathi application designed for monitoring citizens, or does it primarily serve as a government-provided security tool for mobile users in India?
The Sanchar Saathi application is primarily a government-provided security tool designed to empower mobile users in India by helping them track, block, and recover lost or stolen mobile devices. It aims to strengthen telecom security by allowing users to verify the genuineness of handsets using IMEI numbers, report suspected fraud, and check mobile connections registered in their name. It is not designed for monitoring citizens but rather to protect them from telecom-related fraud, cybercrime, and misuse of mobile networks.
Key features of Sanchar Saathi include:
-
Reporting suspected fraud communications (calls, SMS, WhatsApp) through a feature called Chakshu.
-
Blocking and tracing lost or stolen phones using the IMEI database.
-
Checking all mobile connections issued in a user’s name.
-
Verifying if a mobile handset is genuine or blacklisted.
-
Protecting users from cyber threats like phishing, spoofing, and device cloning.
The app is mandated by the Indian Department of Telecommunications to be pre-installed on all new smartphones sold in India and pushed via software updates on existing phones, and it cannot be deleted by users. It supports telecom security by preventing fraudulent use of mobile networks rather than monitoring citizen activities for surveillance.
Therefore, Sanchar Saathi serves as a citizen-centric cybersecurity and mobile security tool aimed at safeguarding users from fraud and device misuse, not as a monitoring or surveillance application for citizens.
