Home » Security Issues » Cyber Security » Institutional and Legislative Measures for Cyber Security » National Security Directive on Telecom Sector
- On December 16, 2020 the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval for a National Security Directive on the Telecommunication Sector (NSDTS) that will impact the digital and telecom ecosystem in the country.
- The NSDTS is aimed at preserving the integrity of the supply chain under which the government will declare a list of trusted sources and trusted products for installation in the country’s telecom networks. There will also be a list of designated sources from where no procurement is to be made.
- Those which meet the criteria of the Department of Telecom’s preferential market access scheme (PMA) will be certified as “India Trusted sources”.
- While other nations have created a black-list of companies that cannot operate in the country, India is the only nation to create a white-list of telecom companies that are allowed to operate in India.
- The National Security Committee on Telecom will take measures to increase use of equipment from Indian trusted sources.
- This will give a boost to the use of indigenous products in the telecom networks. It will strengthen the domestic industry and national security of India.
