New Delhi, Jan. 16 -- The Centre's plans for a new mobile phone security framework have unsettled smartphone makers and digital rights groups, opening a fresh debate over how far the state should go in regulating consumer technology.

At the centre of the concern is a proposal, first reported by Reuters earlier this month, that could require smartphone manufacturers to make their source code available for official review. While the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) says consultations are ongoing and has denied seeking access to source code, the issue has emerged as a flashpoint between the government and the global technology industry.

The unease has been sharpened by India's telecom security framework, particula...