The Indian government is backtracking: Apple and other smartphone manufacturers will not be required to pre-install the government's Aadhaar app. Apple had refused to comply with the directive from the outset.
At the end of 2025, the Indian government ordered Apple and other smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the state security app Sanchar Saathi and the Aadhaar app – permanently, even on iPhones already in circulation via an iOS update. Apple immediately refused, citing fundamental data privacy and system concerns. Now the government is relenting.
According to a Reuters report, India's IT Ministry has decided not to implement mandatory pre-installation of the Aadhaar app. The UIDAI, the agency responsible for Aadhaar, stated that after consultations with representatives of the electronics industry, it no longer supports mandatory pre-installation of the app on smartphones. The app will remain available – users can download it voluntarily from the app store – but no one will be forced to do so.
Why Apple didn't participate
The Indian government had officially presented the planned pre-installation as a measure to assist with lost or stolen smartphones. Critics, however, saw it as a clear surveillance tool: An indelible, state-controlled app would theoretically have enabled widespread device tracking – with obvious implications for user privacy.
Apple, which has positioned data privacy as a core message of its products for years, refused to implement the measure from the outset. The company had previously rejected similar demands from other countries and maintained its stance this time as well – despite the enormous importance of the Indian market as the world's second-largest smartphone market.
Sixth failed attempt
The withdrawal is not an isolated incident. According to Reuters, the Aadhaar requirement was the sixth attempt in two years to compel smartphone manufacturers to pre-install government apps. All six attempts failed due to united resistance from the industry – Apple, Samsung, and other manufacturers stood against it.
This pattern shows that while the Indian government regularly pushes through demands of this kind, industry has established itself as a reliable obstacle. App store guidelines and the device security architectures of major manufacturers make it difficult for government apps to embed themselves as indelible system components.
What this means for Indian iPhone users
Nothing changes for users in India. Those who wish to use the Aadhaar app voluntarily—for example, for dealing with government agencies, for which it is already quite useful—can continue to download it from the App Store as before. Those who do not wish to do so can keep their iPhones free of the government pre-installation.
For Apple, the Indian government's withdrawal is further proof that its hard line on data protection holds true internationally. The company is demonstrating its willingness to engage in conflicts with governments, even in strategically important growth markets, rather than weaken its own data protection principles. (Image: Shutterstock / earthphotostock)
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