India is pressuring Apple and Google to pre-install government-developed apps on smartphones prior to their sale. Apple faced a similar demand from Russia back in 2021, which it eventually complied with.
The request came during a meeting last month where government officials outlined plans for expanding access to state digital services, reports Bloomberg. The push comes as India seeks greater regulatory control over global tech companies.
Manufacturers would be required to include the Indian government’s GOV.in app store and related apps on smartphones sold in India. Russia was pushing for similar requirements, and Apple eventually agreed to display a prompt to install government-approved apps during device setup.
Apple and Google are both resisting giving in to India’s request, according to Bloomberg’s sources. Google is actively pushing back. The company’s Android operating system is installed on roughly 90% of India’s 700 million smartphones.
During discussions, Indian government officials are said to have raised the possibility of taking legal measures to ensure compliance. The government also requested that their apps be available for download from third-party sources outside of Apple’s and Google’s app stores, without triggering warnings about “untrusted sources.”
India continues to be of growing importance to both Apple and Google. Apple has slowly expanded its Indian iPhone production, which now accounts for a bit more than 14% of Apple’s global iPhone production.