India's proposal to mandate always-on location tracking in smartphones is facing strong opposition from tech giants Apple, Google, and Samsung due to privacy concerns. The proposal, currently under review by the Indian government, aims to enhance law enforcement capabilities by requiring smartphone manufacturers to keep satellite-based location tracking permanently enabled on all devices.
The plan, originating from the telecom industry, suggests activating Assisted GPS (A-GPS) at the device level and removing the user's ability to disable it. A-GPS combines satellite signals with cellular data to provide highly accurate positioning, potentially pinpointing a phone's location to within a meter. Currently, law enforcement relies on cell tower data, which provides only approximate locations.
The India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), representing Apple and Google, has cautioned the government that such a mandate lacks global precedent and constitutes regulatory overreach. In a confidential letter, the ICEA expressed "significant legal, privacy, and national security concerns". Security researchers have warned that this could transform every smartphone into a "dedicated surveillance device," posing risks to individuals handling sensitive information, including judges, journalists, and military personnel.
The tech companies argue that the proposal violates global privacy norms. They also oppose a related request from telecom operators to remove pop-up messages that appear when a carrier accesses a user's location, which they believe are essential for transparency and user control. Apple had previously prepared to reject a mandate to preload a state-run cyber safety app on all new devices, citing concerns that it would undermine the iPhone's security model. The government eventually reversed this order.
The debate highlights the growing tension in India between national security interests and the privacy rights of its large smartphone user base. India is the world's second-largest smartphone market, with approximately 735 million devices, predominantly running on Google's Android system. While the IT and home ministries are still evaluating the proposal, the discussions reflect global concerns about surveillance and digital freedoms.
