Centre to list ‘trusted’ suppliers of telecom equipment

The Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday approved the National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector mandating telecom service providers to procure equipment from sources designated to be “trusted”, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference.

“In order to maintain the integrity of the supply chain security, the government will declare a list of trusted sources/products for the benefit of telecom service providers,” Mr. Prasad said.

He said the National Cyber Security Coordinator as the designated authority would devise the methodology for the process. The designated authority would make a determination based on the recommendations of a National Security Committee on Telecommunication, which would be headed by the Deputy National Security Advisor and include two representatives of industry and an independent expert, apart from officials from the Departments and Ministries concerned.

Mr. Prasad added that a list of sources from which no procurement can be done may also be created. This directive does not envisage mandatory replacement of equipment already inducted and also does not affect annual maintenance contracts and planned updates, he said. Those meeting criteria of the Department of Telecommunications’ preferential market access scheme would be designated “India trusted sources”, the Minister said.