New Delhi : The Government of India has reportedly asked smartphone makers to preload the Aadhaar app on all new devices in the country. Aadhaar is the government’s biometric identity programme with 1.34 billion enrolled citizens. However, manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, and Google have pushed back against this request.
The request came from UIDAI, the body that manages the Aadhaar programme, that asked the IT Ministry to discuss this proposal with smartphone makers such as Apple and Samsung. This would have ensured that all smartphones sold in India come with the biometric identity programme app preinstalled when you set up a new phone – similar to preinstalled apps such as clock or calculator.
The Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT) – that represents manufacturers – opposed the proposal. Apple and Samsung in particular are said to have raised safety and privacy concerns, issues that were also voiced during the Sanchar Saathi proposal last year. MAIT reportedly stated that pre-installing the Aadhaar app would require maintaining separate production lines for devices intended for India and export markets, which could cause logistical issues. MIAT stated that this proposal “would not drive greater public good.”
The government argues that pre-installation would enhance accessibility by allowing citizens to use Aadhaar features without needing to download the app separately. Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number linked to biometric data of over 1.34 billion Indian residents. It is widely used for identity verification in banking, telecom, and airport access. In the past, Aadhar’s data leaks have exposed hundreds of millions of users’ personal information.
Smartphone makers have reportedly argued that no country apart from Russia mandates the preinstallation of government apps on smartphones. The Aadhaar pre-installation request comes just weeks after the government withdrew its Sanchar Saathi mandate. On the surface, the situation seems similar. But there are differences. With Sanchar Saathi, the government had tried to force phonemakers to preinstall the application. While the Aadhaar app mandate was proposed more as a request than an order.
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