India's Tighter Smartphone Security Rules Put Apple, Samsung, Google on Defensive

• India is considering new security rules for smartphones, including mandatory source code sharing and advance notification for software updates.
• The proposals aim to strengthen user data protection amid rising online fraud and data breaches in India, which has 750 million smartphone users.
• Tech giants like Apple, Samsung, and Google, represented by MAIT, are resisting the move, citing concerns about business secrets, innovation, and user privacy.
• Industry groups argue these measures exceed international norms and could lead to issues like battery drain from malware scans and impractical software update notifications.
• The debate highlights a tension between India's digital security goals and the tech industry's concerns about regulatory overreach.

Why It Matters: India's proposed smartphone security rules, including source code access, face strong resistance from global tech giants.