India's government ordered every smartphone to pre-install its Sanchaar Saathi cybersecurity app then quietly withdrew the mandate within weeks after Apple and privacy experts cried foul. But the real story isn't the U-turn. It's what this episode exposes: India's surveillance laws are 30 years old, written for phone tapping, not the digital age. The government can access your personal data without consent, without oversight, without accountability. While the app mandate failed because Apple had power to push back, most Indians don't. This episode unpacks the regulatory overreach, the privacy concerns, and why outdated laws give authorities a blank check over your digital life.You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: X and LinkedinCheck out other interesting episodes from the host like ET in the Valley:  Grant Lee, Co-Founder & CEO of Gamma, ET in the Valley: Databricks Co-founder Patrick Wendell, ET in the Valley: Replit Founder and CEO Amjad Masad, ET in the Valley: ElevenLabs Co-Founder Mati Staniszewski and much more. Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.Credits: NEWS9 live, CNBC-TV18See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.