The telecom department has sought the National Information Board’s (NIB) approval on the draft telecommunication security policy. The NIB is India’s top policy-making wing on cyber security headed by National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. The NIB’s views are critical since national law enforcement agencies (LEAs) will be closely involved in implementing the telecom security policy with the Department of Telecommunications.

India’s draft telecom security policy rues the country’s “heavy dependence on imported core telecom equipment,” which it claims has made “domestic telephone networks more vulnerable to unforeseen threats as they can be managed remotely”. The decision to frame telecom security standards was largely induced by the Home Ministry’s concerns about Chinese gearmakers, which had rocked the country’s telecoms space three years ago and delayed network expansion plans of several mobile phone companies.

More recently, a government panel had also recommended that India emulate the US model and run detailed audits on hardware and software used in telecom networks, and even undertake periodic checks for unauthorised electronics or suspicious gear capable of duplicating or redirecting data.

The telecom security regulations also build a strong case for creating indigenous capacity of software and electronics used in telecom networks. They even indicate “effective systems, processes and regulations would be in place to arm LEAs to continuously monitor telecom networks for intrusions, attacks or other forms of fraudulent activity.”