India Demands Smartphone Source Code Sharing as Part of Security Measures

India is demanding that smartphone manufacturers share the "source code," which is the software blueprint of smartphones.

Indian Prime Minister Modi shaking hands with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Photo by Yonhap News

According to foreign media reports on January 11, local time, India is working to implement 83 security standards for smartphones, which include requiring manufacturers to share their smartphone source code and to notify the government when making major software updates. This move is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to strengthen security in response to the rise in online fraud and data breaches.

Major smartphone manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung Electronics, Google, and China's Xiaomi have reportedly expressed concerns, noting that there is no international precedent for such a requirement and that it could expose their core business secrets.Smartphone manufacturers strictly protect the source code, which serves as the programming instructions at the foundation of smartphone operations.