Govt rejects report on forcing smartphone firms to share source code: 'Mischievous intent'

The government on Sunday said it is holding routine consultations with smartphone makers and industry bodies on mobile safety and security standards and firmly rejected a report that suggested it plans to force companies to share source code as part of proposed security measures.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) “refutes the statement by an international news organisation that Government is proposing to force smartphone makers to share source code with the government and make several software changes as part of a raft of security measures, prompting opposition from giants like Apple and Samsung,” the official statement said.

“These news reports have not quoted any statement from these smart phone manufacturers or the industry associations which represent them. Instead, they have selectively chosen to ignore the comments of industry association which clearly indicates its mischievous intent to sensationalise the news,” it added.

Reuters had earlier reported that the Centre was considering a package of 83 proposed security standards that could include source code review, mandatory alerts to the government on major software updates and other software-level changes. The report said technology firms had raised concerns that such measures lacked global precedent and could expose proprietary information.

According to Reuters, the proposals are part of the government’s efforts to strengthen user data security amid rising incidents of online fraud and data breaches in the world’s second-largest smartphone market.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said the stakeholder consultations are part of its continuous engagement with industry to strengthen cybersecurity and safeguard user privacy in India’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.

“Mobile security is a critical aspect as smartphones are increasingly used for financial transactions, delivery of public services and storage of sensitive personal information,” the ministry said.

“With over a billion mobile users in the country, smartphones today hold vast amounts of personal and financial data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals,” it added.

MeitY said it routinely conducts consultations on safety compliance, electromagnetic interference and compatibility (EMI/EMC), Indian language support, interface requirements and security standards, followed by detailed discussions with industry on different dimensions of security requirements.

“Government is fully committed to working with the industry and address their concern. That is why, the government has been engaging with the industry to better understand technical and compliance burden and best international practices which are adopted by the smart phone manufactures,” it said.