According to a Reuters report, the Indian government is reviewing a proposal that would require smartphone makers to enable satellite-based location tracking on every phone sold, keeping it permanently active.
The plan comes from the telecommunications industry and has stirred strong objections from major smartphone companies, including Apple, Google, and Samsung.
Until now, Indian authorities have relied on cellular tower data to trace phones during investigations. That method gives only rough location estimates and can be off by several meters. But the telecom industry, represented by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), argues that precision matters for criminal probes and other legal requirements.
The proposal requests that phone makers permanently activate satellite-assisted GPS (A-GPS) on all devices. According to internal federal ministry communications from June, the proposal would leave users with no option to disable the tracking function. If adopted India would become the first country to impose such a sweeping location requirement on smartphones.
The proposal has drawn firm resistance from smartphone makers. In a confidential July letter to the government the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), representing Apple and Google among others, warned that the plan amounted to “regulatory overreach.” They said A-GPS was never intended for continuous surveillance and argued the requirement could jeopardize user privacy and security.
Security experts outside India echoed those concerns. One digital-forensics specialist called the idea “dedicated surveillance device” regime. Another observer with the U.S.-based Electronic Frontier Foundation described the plan as “pretty horrifying,” noting that he was unaware of any other country imposing always-on satellite tracking on all phones.
Shortly before the A-GPS proposal surfaced, New Delhi had quietly ordered smartphone makers to preload a state-run cybersecurity app on all new phones. That mandate triggered widespread uproar from privacy activists, opposition politicians and companies alike. The government subsequently backtracked and revoked the compulsory pre-install requirement.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
