The Centre proposes requiring smartphone makers to share source code with the government and make several software changes as ​part of a raft of security measures, prompting behind-the-scenes opposition from giants like Apple and Samsung. Among the most sensitive requirements in the new Indian Telecom ‌Security Assurance Requirements is access to source code - the underlying programming instructions that make phones work. Companies say source code review, analysis, ‘Not possible’Smartphone makers closely guard their source code. Apple declined China's request for source code between 2014 and 2016, and U.S. law enforcement has also tried and failed to get it. The Union Government’s proposals for "vulnerability analysis" and "source code review" would require smartphone makers to perform a "complete security assessment”, after which test labs in the country could check their claims through source code review and analysis.

Source: The Hindu January 11, 2026 14:25 UTC