National Security Directive on Telecom Sector- Highlights

The Cabinet Committee on Security have announced the National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector recently. This was announced in order to tighten the security of the communications network. The security directives mandate the service providers to purchase the equipment from trusted sources.

National Security Directive

• The Law and Telecom Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, highlighted that these directives have been framed to strengthen the national security.
• As per the provisions of this directive, government will declare a list of trusted sources and trusted products that will be installed in telecom network of India.
• The trusted products will be designated by the designated authority called the National Cyber Security Coordinator.
• The Telecom service providers will be required to connect new devices that are designated trusted products.
• The government will also create a list of designated sources from whom procurement cannot be done.
• The present directive does not have the mandatory replacement of the existing equipment.
• The directive will also not affect the annual maintenance contracts or updates to the existing equipment.
• These directives also consist of the provisions to qualify the telecom gears which are made by domestic players in trusted category.

National Security Committee on telecom

This committee will make a list of the trusted source and product. List will be prepared after getting approval from the committee.  The committee would be headed by the deputy national security advisor. Committee will consist of the members from relevant departments and ministries. It will also comprise of two members from the industry and independent experts.