TL;DR
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology says reports that the government will require smartphone makers to surrender source code are incorrect. The ministry says it is holding stakeholder consultations to shape mobile security standards and to understand industry burdens and international practices.
What happened
A Reuters report said New Delhi circulated a package of 83 proposed mobile-security standards, including a demand that manufacturers share smartphone source code and a requirement for advance notice of major software updates, and said Apple and Samsung opposed the measures. India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a rebuttal, saying the government is engaged in structured stakeholder consultations to build an appropriate regulatory framework for mobile security and protect users’ personal and financial data. MeitY framed the conversations as routine engagement to understand technical and compliance burdens and global best practices, and said it is committed to working with industry. The article also notes past regulatory skirmishes in India — including a short-lived demand to pre-install government apps and a 2022 incident-reporting rule that was later eased — and observes that forcing firms like Apple and Samsung to hand over source code would be highly challenging and that domestic alternatives have not gained traction.
Why it matters
- Any final rule on source code access or update pre-notification would affect global device makers that serve India’s billion-plus mobile users.
- Regulatory demands of this kind can strain government–industry relations and prompt legal and commercial pushback.
- Security standards, if well designed, could strengthen protections for user data across a large market.
- India’s history of softening or abandoning contested tech rules suggests proposed requirements may change after industry consultation.
Key facts
- Reuters reported a circulated package of 83 mobile-security standards that reportedly included source-code access and advance update notices.
- The Reuters story said Apple and Samsung opposed the proposed measures.
- MeitY issued a statement denying that the government is planning to demand smartphone source code and described current work as stakeholder consultations.
- MeitY said consultations aim to develop an appropriate regulatory framework and to understand technical and compliance burdens and international best practices.
- India has more than a billion mobile users, a point MeitY cited when discussing risks to personal and financial data.
- In December, a previous demand by the Department of Telecommunications for handset makers to pre-install government apps was quickly watered down and withdrawn after opposition.
- A 2022 directive required local organisations to report cybersecurity incidents within six hours; that measure was eased after vendor pushback and saw low compliance.
- The article notes sharing source code would be extraordinarily difficult for major vendors and that domestic browser and mobile OS alternatives have not gained wide adoption.
What to watch next
- Whether MeitY publishes a finalized set of mobile-security standards and any specific requirements — not confirmed in the source.
- Responses from major device makers such as Apple and Samsung to any published proposals — not confirmed in the source.
- If and how stakeholder consultations change the substance or scope of the reported 83 standards — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Source code: Human-readable program instructions that developers write, which are typically compiled into executable software.
- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY): The Indian government ministry responsible for information technology, electronics and digital policies.
- Stakeholder consultations: Formal or informal talks between government and affected parties—such as companies, civil society and experts—to shape policy.
- Cybersecurity incident reporting: Rules requiring organisations to notify authorities or other parties when security breaches or other cyber incidents occur.
Reader FAQ
Has India officially said it will require smartphone source code?
No; MeitY has denied plans to demand smartphone source code and described current activity as stakeholder consultations.
Did Reuters say which firms opposed the proposal?
Yes; Reuters reported that Apple and Samsung opposed the reported measures.
Is a rule requiring advance notice of major updates confirmed?
Reuters reported such a proposal, but MeitY’s statement framed the situation as consultations and did not confirm implementation.
Has India previously tried similar regulatory measures?
Yes; the source cites a December pre-install app demand that was withdrawn and a 2022 incident-reporting rule that was later eased.
SECURITY 1 India’s government denies it plans to demand smartphone source code Says ongoing talks about security are about understanding best practice, not strong-arming vendors Simon Sharwood Mon 12 Jan 2026 // 04:37 UTC…
Sources
- India’s government denies it plans to demand smartphone source code
- Exclusive: India proposes forcing smartphone makers to …
- Centre Refutes Report on Source Code Demand
- Government debunks Reuters claim on smartphone source …
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