India Proposes New Smartphone Security Rules

India's government is exploring far-reaching security regulations that would fundamentally change how smartphone manufacturers operate within the country. The proposed rules demand unprecedented access to proprietary systems and advance notice of all software changes.

These measures represent the latest attempt to assert greater control over the 750 million smartphones circulating in the nation. Industry leaders are pushing back against requirements they say could compromise trade secrets and delay critical security responses.

The centerpiece of the new regulatory framework requires device manufacturers to provide government access to source code for what officials term "vulnerability analysis." This review would take place at designated laboratories within India, where code could be both analyzed and tested.

Beyond source code access, the rules would mandate that companies notify the government before rolling out major software updates and security patches. This pre-emptive disclosure applies to the entire ecosystem of devices sold across the country.

The proposal forms part of a broader package of 83 security standards drafted in 2023. Officials are now weighing whether to make these standards legally binding, which would transform them from guidelines into enforceable law.

Major smartphone manufacturers have issued stern warnings to Indian authorities, arguing that forced source code disclosure risks revealing proprietary information and trade secrets. These companies fear such transparency could undermine their competitive position and intellectual property rights.

Industry groups have also raised practical concerns about additional requirements in the proposal package:

• Periodic mandatory malware scanning protocols
• 12-month minimum storage of system logs
• Restrictions on background app permissions
• Option to remove all pre-installed applications

According to industry analysis, these technical requirements could create significant operational burdens. Mandatory log storage may exceed device capacity, while constant scanning could drain batteries and slow the deployment of urgent security updates—the very protection these rules aim to strengthen.

Despite extensive documentation, India's IT ministry has taken a contradictory public stance. The ministry explicitly "refutes the statement" that manufacturers would be required to surrender source code, even as internal government and industry documents reviewed during reporting suggest otherwise.

This denial emerges against a backdrop of increasing regulatory scrutiny in the Indian smartphone market. The government has floated multiple security initiatives in rapid succession, creating uncertainty for global manufacturers operating in this critical territory.

We refute the statement that manufacturers must hand over source code.

The conflicting narratives between documented proposals and official statements have created confusion among stakeholders. Government officials and industry executives are scheduled to meet Tuesday for additional discussions to clarify the administration's actual intentions and requirements.

This source code proposal continues a disturbing pattern of aggressive security measures introduced in recent weeks. Just last month, authorities planned to require a state-owned cybersecurity application pre-installed on every smartphone nationwide—a mandate abandoned after significant public backlash.

Only two days following that reversal, reports emerged of another controversial proposal: requiring smartphones to maintain active location services at all times with no user option to disable them. This sequence demonstrates the government's determination to expand its digital oversight capabilities.

The rapid succession of proposals suggests a coordinated effort to establish comprehensive surveillance and control mechanisms within India's digital infrastructure. Each initiative, while framed as security enhancement, collectively represents an unprecedented expansion of state power over private technology.

The Tuesday meeting between government officials and industry executives represents a critical juncture in these negotiations. The outcome will determine whether India's smartphone market—second globally only to China—faces a new regulatory reality.

Manufacturers must balance market access against proprietary protection. Compliance with these rules could set a global precedent, potentially encouraging other nations to demand similar access to source code and advance update notifications.

For India's 750 million smartphone users, these changes could affect device availability, pricing, and the speed of security updates. The final form of any regulations will signal how deeply governments can penetrate corporate technical infrastructure in the name of national security.