Finalise norms for importing telecom equipment: MHA asks DoT

Concerned over the delay in finalisation of norms for import of telecom equipment, the Home Ministry has asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to address the issue and modify security template immediately.

Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai told Telecom Secretary R Chandrasekhar in a letter that the modified security template was pending finalisation for a long time after concerns were raised by service providers and vendors of the security template brought out by DoT.

The Home Secretary referred to the February 28 meeting taken by Principal Secretary to Prime Minister TKA Nair and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon wherein the issue of security regime to address concerns relating to import of telecom equipment was discussed and the Home Ministry and DoT were asked to modify the template.

The Prime Minister's Office had asked the Home Ministry to resolve the long pending issue in consultation with the DoT and within a given time-frame.

Since the matter has not been resolved yet, the Home Ministry has been asking extension of the time-line periodically. The latest deadline on April 15 has been granted after the meeting with the Nair and Menon as proposed by the DoT Secretary.

"It is once again requested that the modified template may be finalised at the earliest possible date duly taking into account the concerns raised by various stakeholders by paying your special personal attention and keeping the latest deadline in view. Any further delay may cause undue embarrassment," Pillai told Chandrasekhar in the letter.

The delay in finalisation of the security norms for import of telecom equipment has been hurting telecom service providers and delaying rolling out of their various services.