Google rejecting android build for Request_Install_Packages permission in ionic cordova

How to completely remove an Android permission from Cordova app.

In this example, I'll show how to remove the REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission.

Navigate to the plugins directory in your Application folder.

Open the plugin.xml file of each plugin and search for something like:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES"/>

If you don't find anything like it, that plugin doesn't use the permission. If you do find it, remove it.

Navigate to:

yourAppFolder\platforms\android
Open a file, called android.json.

Search for code that looks like this:

"AndroidManifest.xml": {
    "parents": {
        "/*": [
            {
                "xml": "<uses-permission android:name=\"android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES\" />",
                "count": 1
            },
            {
                "xml": "<uses-permission android:name=\"android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE\" />",
                "count": 1
            }
        ]
    }
}
Remove the REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES part so that you're left with this:
"AndroidManifest.xml": {
    "parents": {
        "/*": [
            {
                "xml": "<uses-permission android:name=\"android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE\" />",
                "count": 1
            }
        ]
    }
}
Note: Be careful to preserve proper JSON syntax!

Go to:
yourAppFolder\platforms\android
Open a file, called AndroidManifest.xml.

Remove something that looks like this:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />