Apple and other smartphone manufacturers are resisting an Indian government proposal that would require them to hand over source code for security review, reports Reuters.
The proposal is included in a package of 83 security standards that India is considering as legal requirements, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to boost security of user data following increases in online fraud and data breaches in the country.
Beyond routine measures like notifying the government of major updates and storing security audit logs, the standards would force manufacturers to hand over source code to government-designated labs to check for vulnerabilities.
Apple, Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, and industry group MAIT have all reportedly objected, citing a lack of global precedent and concerns about revealing proprietary details.
The standards were originally drafted in 2023 but are only now under government consideration. Tech company executives are expected to meet Tuesday to discuss the matter.
IT secretary S. Krishnan told Reuters the government will address legitimate concerns "with an open mind," adding it was "premature to read more" into the proposals.
The country's IT ministry also said it "refutes the statement" that it is considering seeking source code from smartphone makers, despite the requirement appearing in the government documents reviewed by Reuters.
A ministry spokesperson told the news organization it could not comment further due to ongoing consultation with tech companies on the proposals.
Apple in December resisted an Indian government directive that would require all iPhones sold in the country to ship with a preinstalled state-run security app. The government ultimately decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for manufacturers after protests from privacy advocates, political opposition, and industry pushback.
