The government has devised an entirely new strategy to challenge Facebook’s messaging app WhatsApp with Sandes’ instant messaging app, launched on Thursday (February 18). Government officials have reportedly been asked to switch from WhatsApp to Sandes amid controversy over the American platform’s privacy policy.
Developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC), Sandes is available for download on iOS starting today while it is being tested for release on Android smartphones. Like WhatsApp, Sandes also supports end-to-end message encryption.
How to download the Sandes app
iPhone users can get the app from the Apple Store today, which is February 18. Meanwhile, a download version of the APK is currently available for Android users. Once beta testing is complete, the Sandes app will be available on the Google Play store for Android phones.
Here’s a step by step guide:
STEP 1
Open the App Store and search for Sandes.
STEP 2
Click on the first option. Make sure this is an official app from NIC with a 4.1 rating.
STEP 3
The size of the app is around 62 MB on ios.
STEP 4
After installation, open the Sandes app on your mobile phone.
STEP 5
Enter your mobile number and generate an OTP.
STEP 6
Then enter the OTP sent to your mobile number, select gender (optional), and sync contacts. Now go ahead and use the app.
The exact process happens when downloading from the Play Store when the app is made available. Alternatively to use it on Android, download the app from their official website: GIMS Sandes Portal
Last April, the Indian union ministry issued a recommendation for all government officials to avoid using platforms such as Zoom, Facebook, and others that allegedly compromised users’ safety and privacy.