India has begun the new assault on the Chinese, as tensions escalating at the borders. In a significant move, the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security approved to set up a new National Security Directive.
The focus of the new National Security Directive will be on the telecommunication sector. The Plan is to identify the source of the telecom products coming into India. And later will be classified under ‘Trusted’ and ‘Non-Trusted’ categories. The elephant in the room is quite obvious ‘China’.
The latest development is expected to make Chinese Telecom Majors like Huawei, ZTE’s entry into the Indian market tougher.
Both Huwaei and ZTE are facing scrutiny in several countries including the US for allegedly installing ‘backdoor’ or ‘trap door’ vulnerabilities and spying for the Chinese government.
The methodology to designate trusted products will be devised by the designated authority, who is the National Cyber Security Coordinator. Telecom service providers are required to connect new devices which are designated trusted products. The designated authority will make its decision based on approval of a committee headed by the deputy NSA (National Security Advisor),” Telecom and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
Prasad added that the deputy NSA will head the National Security Committee on Telecom, which will also have members from other departments and ministries. According to the minister, the new Committee will also have independent experts and two members from the telecom industry.
“The cabinet committee on security approves National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector. Under this, to maintain the integrity of supply chain security, the government will declare a list of trusted sources/products for benefit of telecom service providers,” Prasad noted.
The Centre will also provide a list of sources to telecom service providers from whom no product can be procured. The new directive will come into place 180 days after approval. As Zee News reported earlier today on this issue.
Source: India, Zee News
