DoT Seeks Details of Chinese Telecom Gear Amid Rising Security Worries

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked telecom operators to share information about any Chinese equipment still used in their networks. This move aims to monitor the presence of Chinese vendors in the Indian telecom sector due to rising security concerns, according to a report by ETTelecom.

Since 2021, following border tensions between India and China, Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE have been barred from bidding on new telecom contracts. This came after the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) made it mandatory for vendors to be certified as “trusted sources.” While companies like Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung received certification, Huawei and ZTE did not.

Despite the ban on new contracts, existing Huawei and ZTE equipment continues to operate in 4G networks of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, and in BSNL’s 2G infrastructure. These vendors are still permitted to service and replace old equipment.

The latest directive from DoT comes at a time when global trade tensions are high, especially between the U.S. and China. The Trump administration recently increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, though a temporary 30-day exemption was provided for some electronics. China retaliated with its own tariff hikes.

There’s speculation that such tensions could lead to a shift in trade relations between India and China, possibly easing restrictions for companies like Huawei and ZTE. However, experts believe such a change is unlikely in the near future.

India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently stated that both India and the U.S. have suffered from China’s unfair trade practices, including dumping of goods. Meanwhile, Trump has also raised tariffs on Indian products to 26%, though a temporary pause on those hikes has created room for new trade negotiations between India and the U.S.

Source: Developing Telecoms