India is proposing a requirement that smartphone makers have to share source code with the government, as well as make software changes, reports Reuters (a subscription is required to read the entire article).
In the opinion of the Sellers Research Group (that’s me) India’s government is nuts if they think this is going to happen — and misguided if they think it should.
Apple, Samsung, and other tech companies correctly argue that the package of 83 security standards — which ridiculously would require said companies to inform the government of major software updates — lacks any global precedent and risks proprietary details. The standards were originally drafted back in 2023, but are only just now being considered by the government to become legal requirements in the country.
According to Reuters, IT Secretary S. Krishnan said the government will address legitimate concerns “with an open mind” and that it was “premature to read more” into the topic. There’s a fine line between appropriate government security measures and interfering with free enterprise. We’ll see if India’s government understands the difference.
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