DoT was red-faced after Huawei approved equipment tests | Photo credit: Times Now
New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) mistakenly allowed Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei to conduct tests for its equipment at a time when the government issued a National Security Directive on the procurement of equipment for use in the telecommunications sector. .
DoT’s Telecommunications Engineering Center (TEC) in a mistake awarded certificates that allowed Huawei Telecommunications India Pvt Ltd last month to test its equipment, according to a Business Standard report.
The mistake was not without consequences, as it is believed that a senior official was transferred over the matter that left DoT with a red face. The DoT was quick to suspend the certificate at a time when the entire exercise of issuing the National Security Directive to protect it against potential threats from companies like Huawei and ZTE, which have alleged ties to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Huawei reportedly issued three ‘Mandatory Telecommunications Equipment Test Certifications (MTCTE)’ dated November 4, 2020, to conduct testing and testing, according to the report.
The problem came despite the government urging telecommunications companies to reduce their dependence on Chinese equipment. The DoT issued a notice suspending the MTCTE issued to the Chinese equipment manufacturer. Similar certificates issued to other telecom manufacturers have also reportedly been suspended.
“Huawei India received the certificates as part of the MTCTE Phase-2 procedure. We will fully support the authorities and we will continue to comply with the MTCTE or any other requirement according to the law of the country ”, the company spokesperson told BS.
Huawei had even started shipping the equipment from the Chinese port, but then had to stop it after the certificates were suspended.
On Wednesday, the government issued a National Security Directive to formulate procurement policies for equipment to be used in the telecommunications sector.
The Security Committee (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will approve a list of “trusted sources” for such equipment and products that Indian telecommunications companies can safely use. In particular, the CCS will also decide on the licensing standards for telecommunications companies operating in the country.
Manufacturers’ names deemed unfit or unsafe by the government will also be shared, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday. “Taking into account the need to ensure the national security of India, the cabinet approved the national security directive in the telecommunications sector. Under the provisions of this directive, to maintain the integrity of the supply chain security, the government will declare a list of trusted sources, “said Prasad.
