Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi resist new Indian regulations demanding smartphone source code

India is causing a shake-up in the smartphone sector by reportedly requiring manufacturers to share their source code as part of a significant security overhaul.

Although the Indian government says the new rules would enhance data security amid rising online fraud and cyber attacks, the controversial proposal has attracted strong ire from tech giants like Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi.

With India being the world’s second-largest smartphone market with nearly 750 million users, prime minister Narendra Modi’s administration is pushing for more stringent controls.

Indian government's demands from smartphone makers

The proposed regulations are based on 83 security standards, with the most controversial requirement being the sharing of source code, while the government is said to be intending to analyse this fundamental programming in designated Indian laboratories.

On top of that, Indian authorities are also seeking greater control over software updates, making it mandatory for manufacturers to notify the National Centre for Communication Security about major updates and patches before releasing, with the Centre retaining the right to test them.

Other regulatorty staples include letting users uninstall pre-installed apps and preventing background access to cameras and microphones. 

The rules also mandate automatic malware scanning and require devices to store system activity logs for at least 12 months.

Nevertheless, the technology sector is pushing back these demands from India. The industry group MAIT argues that such requirements lack global precedent and are impractical. For instance, storing logs for a year is unfeasible due to storage limitations, and constant malware scanning could drain battery life.

A meeting between the Indian IT ministry and tech executives is slated for Tuesday, whererin these contentious issues will be discussed.