NEW DELHI—India is currently weighing a controversial telecom industry proposal that would mandate 'always-on' satellite location tracking in all smartphones sold in the country, a move that has drawn strong opposition from major global technology firms, including Apple, Google, and Samsung, over profound privacy and surveillance concerns.

The proposal, put forth by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents telecom heavyweights like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, suggests requiring smartphone manufacturers to activate Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) technology on all devices with no option for users to disable it.

Demand for 'Pinpoint' Location Data

The push for this mandatory tracking stems from the Indian government's longstanding frustration that law enforcement agencies cannot obtain precise location data during investigations. Under the current system, telecom firms rely on cellular tower data, which only provides an estimated area, often inaccurate by several meters.

A-GPS, which leverages both satellite signals and cellular data, would allow authorities to potentially track a user's location with accuracy down to about one meter.

The telecom industry has also urged the government to order phone makers to disable pop-up warnings that currently alert users when a carrier attempts to access their location, arguing that these alerts allow a "target can easily ascertain that he is being tracked."

Tech Companies and Privacy Advocates Warn of 'Regulatory Overreach'

Global smartphone giants have vehemently opposed the proposal, telling New Delhi that such a measure should not be mandated.

• Privacy Concerns: Apple, Google, and Samsung have cited significant legal, privacy, and national security concerns.

• Unprecedented Scope: The India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which lobbies for Apple and Google, argued in a confidential letter to the government that a measure to track device-level location in this manner has "no precedent anywhere else in the world," calling it a "regulatory overreach."

• Surveillance Tool: Digital forensics and security experts have warned that the proposal would effectively turn every smartphone into a "dedicated surveillance device" by default, as A-GPS is typically only activated for emergency services or specific apps.

The tech firms have also pushed back against the request to remove user pop-up notifications, arguing that privacy concerns should take priority and the pop-ups are necessary to "ensure transparency and user control over their location."