Tracking proposal sparks backlash as India weighs mandatory always-on GPS for all smartphones, Apple and Google refuse to comply

India’s government is reviewing a controversial proposal to mandate always-on GPS tracking on all smartphones sold in the country. The proposal has ignited fierce opposition from Apple, Google, Samsung, and privacy advocates who warn it could violate fundamental rights. Here’s what you need to know about this developing surveillance debate.

What Is the Proposal Actually Demanding?

The tracking proposal centers on Assisted GPS (A-GPS) technology that would be permanently active on every smartphone. Unlike current systems where users control location services, this mandate would keep satellite positioning enabled 24/7 with no toggle to disable it.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing major telecom firms, proposed the measure supposedly to support law enforcement investigations and disaster response operations. Government officials frame it as essential infrastructure for a country addressing rising cybercrime and emergency situations.

Why Are Tech Giants Fighting Back So Hard?

Apple, Google, and Samsung issued formal objections within days of news about the proposal emerging. These companies argue the mandatory tracking violates fundamental privacy principles and creates serious security vulnerabilities.

The tech giants contend that always-on location data represents a massive surveillance apparatus with no user consent mechanism. Such a system would create an unprecedented dataset of citizen movements available to government authorities without judicial oversight or individual opt-out rights.

Company	Position	Concern
Apple	Formal protest filed	Privacy violation, violates iPhone policies
Google	Formal protest filed	Security risks, no user control
Samsung	Formal protest filed	Surveillance infrastructure concerns

What Are Human Rights Organizations Saying?

Amnesty International released a statement on December 8 calling the tracking mandate “deeply concerning.” The human rights organization warned that authorizing always-on location surveillance without user control could plausibly lead to violations of human rights and privacy protections.

Privacy advocates and digital rights groups highlight India’s previous controversies with surveillance technologies. The government recently ordered all smartphones to come pre-loaded with the Sanchar Saathi app, a cybersecurity application intended for fraud prevention. That mandate faced such massive backlash from citizens and opposition parties that the government backtracked within days.

“The proposal to mandate always-on location tracking without user control could plausibly lead to violations of human rights and privacy.”

— Amnesty International, Human Rights Organization

What’s the Government’s Legal Challenge?

The tracking proposal faces a critical legal hurdle: India currently lacks legislation authorizing such surveillance. The mandate cannot proceed without new telecommunications regulations or landmark court approval. This creates a complex policy bottleneck where the government must either draft new law or pursue constitutional authorization.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has long pressured telecom companies to share more precise location data on individuals under criminal investigation. The always-on GPS proposal represents an extraordinary expansion of that power into mass surveillance territory, eliminating any investigative targeting and affecting every smartphone user regardless of legal status.

Could This Actually Become Law Despite the Backlash?

The proposal remains under government review without confirmation of final decisions or timelines. Tech companies’ unified opposition, Amnesty International’s formal objection, and the precedent of the failed Sanchar Saathi mandate suggest India’s government faces serious implementation obstacles. However, government technology policies in India have shifted rapidly before, sometimes catching international observers off guard.

The next critical moment arrives when the government formally responds to tech company protests or issues new telecommunications regulations. Industry insiders suggest any mandatory tracking system would likely create a global technology conflict, potentially affecting India’s standing as a major smartphone market and development economy.

Sources

• Reuters – Comprehensive reporting on India’s location tracking review and industry response
• Amnesty International – Statement on surveillance concerns and human rights implications
• BBC News – Coverage of Sanchar Saathi app controversy and privacy backlash