At the beginning of this year, it was revealed that the Indian Army used Sambhav (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version) smartphones for secure communications with China in October 2024. Usually, mobile networks and foreign apps are inherently vulnerable to eavesdropping, putting sensitive information at risk; therefore, this device was used for an end-to-end secure mobile ecosystem.
At the AIMA 52nd National Management Convention, the Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, revealed that Sambhav Phone was a very critical part of the recent Operation Sindoor, as this was the device that was used for command and communication.
WhatsApp and other apps are not used on the Sambhav phone as they usually possess the risk of leaking sensitive information. Sambhav Phone runs on contemporary 5G technology and includes indigenous applications like M-Sigma that come as an alternative to WhatsApp. With M-Sigma, officers share documents, images, and videos without any risk.
It is also revealed that with growing technology and innovation, the Sambhav phone will be upgraded to a higher level with precautionary measures.
This move by the Indian Army signifies a major effort to protect sensitive military communications using domestically developed technology rather than relying on foreign apps and networks. Till now, 30,000+ Sambhav handsets have been deployed to troops.
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