India Proposes Smartphone Security Standards Amid Tech Opposition

India's government has proposed a comprehensive set of smartphone security standards that would require manufacturers to share source code with authorities and notify officials before releasing major software updates, drawing opposition from major technology companies concerned about intellectual property risks and practical challenges.

The draft framework, known as the Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements and prepared in 2023, outlines 83 obligations aimed at enhancing device security in a market with nearly 750 million smartphone users. Officials from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration say the measures address rising online fraud and data breaches that threaten consumers and national infrastructure. If approved, the standards could become legally binding, mandating changes such as allowing users to uninstall preinstalled apps, restricting background access to cameras and microphones, implementing automatic periodic malware scanning, and storing device activity logs for at least 12 months.

At the core of the controversy is a provision for government access to source code, the underlying programming instructions that power devices. Documents reviewed by...