Union Minister for Communications and Development of the Northeastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Tuesday clarified that the Sanchar Saathi mobile application is entirely voluntary, stating that users may activate, deactivate or delete the app at their discretion. He emphasised that the platform is designed to empower citizens without compromising privacy.
Sanchar Saathi Is Voluntary and Privacy-Focused
Scindia described Sanchar Saathi as a citizen-first, privacy-safe initiative developed to help mobile users secure their digital presence through transparent and easy-to-use tools.
“Sanchar Saathi is both an app and a portal that enables citizens to secure themselves through transparent, easy-to-use tools. It is a significant step toward Jan Bhagidari, where citizens actively participate in protecting their own digital ecosystem,” he said, according to a statement from the Ministry of Communications dated December 2, 2025.
Strong Adoption, Fraud Prevention and Mobile Recovery
According to the Ministry, the platform has recorded 21.5 crore portal visits and over 1.4 crore app downloads since launch. Citizens have used the system to disconnect over 1.43 crore mobile connections by marking them as “Not My Number”.
The initiative has also helped trace 26 lakh lost or stolen mobile phones, with 7.23 lakh returned to owners. In addition, 40.96 lakh fraudulent mobile connections have been disconnected, and 6.2 lakh fraud-linked IMEIs blocked. The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) feature is estimated to have prevented potential financial losses of Rs 475 crore, according to the Ministry.
Empowering Citizens Against Cyber Threats
Highlighting the app’s role in cybersecurity, Scindia noted that Sanchar Saathi allows users to report suspected fraud directly from call logs, enabling informed citizens to protect vulnerable users.
Scindia concluded, “Digital security for every citizen is our topmost priority. Sanchar Saathi is voluntary, transparent, and designed solely to protect India’s mobile consumers while advancing the nation’s cybersecurity. Users have complete freedom to activate or delete the app at any time, ensuring safety without compromising privacy."
