hometelecom NewsNot Chinese please — DoT tells telecom operators to buy equipment from ‘trusted sources’ only
Not Chinese please — DoT tells telecom operators to buy equipment from ‘trusted sources’ only
The DoT's amendment of the telecom licence agreement will make it difficult for Chinese telecom equipment suppliers like Huawei or ZTE — suspected of doing spy service for Xi Jinping — to procure supply orders from Indian telecom players such as Jio, Airtel or Vodafone Idea.
In order to keep Chinese telecom equipment makers out of Indian telecom networks, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on July 11 said it has amended the telecom licence agreement to mandate the use of equipment only from "trusted sources."
In a communication to telecom operators, DoT said as the licensor, it has amended the Unified Access Services Licence Agreement for the procurement of telecommunication equipment.
"With effect from June 15, 2021, the licences, shall only connect trusted products in its network and also seek permission from the designated authority for up-gradation or expansion of existing network utilising the telecommunication equipment not designated as trusted products," DoT said.
The government said the latest changes will not affect ongoing annual maintenance contracts or updates to existing equipment already induced in the network as of the date of effect.
The move would make it difficult for Chinese telecom equipment suppliers like Huawei or ZTE to procure supply orders from Indian telecom players such as Jio, Airtel or Vodafone Idea.
Huawei and ZTE have been under global scrutiny for allegedly installing "backdoor" vulnerabilities in a desperate bid to do spying for the Chinese government.
In the wake of the India-China border tensions, the government's action plan on the telecom front seems much appreciated and awaited by the central security and intelligence agencies.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
First Published: Jul 11, 2022 8:23 PM IST
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