Overview
- The IT ministry, which on Friday said it was not in favor of a mandate, shelved the Aadhaar preload plan after consultations with electronics industry stakeholders, according to UIDAI.
- Apple and Samsung led industry pushback, citing device security, privacy, and compatibility risks as well as higher costs from running India‑only manufacturing and software builds.
- UIDAI had asked the ministry in January to engage Apple, Google, and other phone makers on mandatory preinstallation, setting off weeks of discussions.
- Officials gave no specific rationale for the reversal, though a senior government figure said preloading apps is not supported unless considered essential.
- The move extends a two‑year run of dropped preload efforts, including December’s Sanchar Saathi order, while users who want Aadhaar can still download the app themselves.