Power in the Palm |
For years, India has projected itself as a confident digital democracy, presenting technological expansion as proof of modern governance and economic maturity. That image, however, is beginning to fracture. Recent policy decisions emerging from New Delhi suggest a fundamental shift in how technology is perceived by the state: not as a neutral enabler of opportunity, but as an instrument of authority. The smartphone, perhaps the most personal object in contemporary life, is being quietly redefined as a tool of governance rather than a space of individual autonomy. This change has arrived not through public debate or parliamentary scrutiny, but through administrative mandates framed as routine cybersecurity measures, raising serious questions about intent, proportionality, and democratic accountability.
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At the centre of this shift lies the December 2025 directive requiring all smartphones sold in India to come preloaded with the Sanchar Saathi application, a government-run cybersecurity tool that cannot be disabled, restricted, or removed. Manufacturers were given a narrow compliance window, while consumers were offered no meaningful choice. The application must remain visible during device setup, ensuring state software is embedded at the very first interaction between user and phone. Its own permissions policy allows access to calls, messages, logs, files, photos, and the camera. Such sweeping access effectively converts personal devices into permanent extensions of the state,........