As part of the proposed rules, users will also get the power to remove pre-installed applications, officials and industry executives said.
The government plans to set up labs, authorised by a Bureau of Indian Standards agency, to screen handsets and operating system updates, the people said. The government plans to get the security checks implemented in a year from notification. The rules, which have been in the works since late 2021, are aimed at ensuring that the devices and installed apps are not snooping on the citizens of the country. ET first reported the development in its October 17, 2021 edition, which had come in the backdrop of Sino-Indoborder tensions.
The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) is working with the National Technical Research Organisation and other government bodies for the new rules. The authorities are conducting more consultations with industry stakeholders before formalising the plan.
The government is of the view that pre-installed applications in the majority of smartphones pose serious privacy and information security issues, which can be exploited by foreign nations, including China. Chinese players like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo dominate the Indian smartphone market with an over 70% share.
