India's government has withdrawn its mandate requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on new and existing devices, following opposition from Apple, digital rights groups, and politicians like Priyanka Gandhi.Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia defended the app as an important security tool, but critics, including Mishi Choudhary and Nikhil Pahwa, cited privacy risks and previous breaches in government-run apps.Digital rights advocates welcomed the rollback and called for clearer legal frameworks under
India's Cyber Security Rules, 2024.