On 11th January, the Government of India refuted claims made by Reuters, which suggested that New Delhi was planning to force smartphone manufacturers to share their source code with the government as part of a proposed security overhaul.
What the Government of India said
A clarification has been issued under the PIB Fact Check mechanism, where the government has categorically rejected the Reuters report and termed the claims false. The government stated that it has not proposed any measures that would compel smartphone manufacturers to share their source code with Indian authorities.
A news report by @Reuters claims that India proposes forcing smartphone manufacturers to share their source code as part of a security overhaul.
#PIBFactCheck
This claim is #FAKE
The Government of India has NOT proposed any measure to force smartphone manufacturers toโฆ pic.twitter.com/0bnw0KQL9Q
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) January 11, 2026
It clarified that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has merely initiated stakeholder consultations to frame an appropriate regulatory framework for mobile security. According to the ministry, such consultations are routine and form part of standard industry engagement whenever safety or security standards are under consideration.
The government further pointed out that no final regulations have been framed so far and that any future framework will only be formulated after detailed consultations with all stakeholders. It urged the public to rely on official sources and verify information before believing or circulating unverified reports.
What Reuters claimed
Earlier, Reuters had published an โexclusiveโ report claiming that India was proposing a set of 83 security standards that would require smartphone makers to share their source code with the government. The report suggested that the proposals had triggered resistance from major global technology companies, including Apple, Samsung, Google and Xiaomi, citing concerns over proprietary data and lack of global precedent.
Indiaโs smartphone security push, including for source code, draws quiet industry resistance from likes of Apple and Samsung, @Reuters reports, citing confidential documents and sources.
India is proposing a far-reaching set of 83 new security standards for smartphonesโฆ
— Aditya Kalra (@adityakalra) January 11, 2026
According to Reuters, the proposed measures were part of efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen user data security amid rising online fraud and data breaches in Indiaโs smartphone market. The report also claimed that companies would be required to notify the government about major software updates, enable removal of pre-installed apps, and allow restrictions on background access to cameras and microphones.
Furthermore, Reuters claimed that industry body MAIT opposed provisions such as source code review, vulnerability analysis, mandatory malware scanning and extended storage of system logs, arguing that such requirements were impractical and not followed by major economies worldwide.
However, the government has now clarified that these claims do not represent any final or approved policy position. It also stated that the consultations are still at an initial stage, making the claims far-fetched.
