India bans Huawei and ZTE from supplying telecom equipment
Just like the U.S. did a few months ago, India has now joined the list of countries worried about allowing the installation of telecommunication equipment from Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE.
The United States has forbidden the two companies from winning contracts, citing security concerns, although there are some people that think its real concern is to protect American companies that the chinese are trying to compete against.
Also, Australia already banned Huawei as well from supplying the nation's national broadband network, also on security concerns. Australia's decision was made just a few weeks after a visit by Barack Obama, who's presence is believed to have offered Australian authorities a briefing on the risks posed by Huawei and ZTE.
The Hindustan Times now says that India has expressed similar concerns. The Delhi-based newspaper reports India's Department of Telecommunications has responded to a request from the nation's Cabinet and will establish a test lab for the presence of “Spyware, Malware and similar bogus software” in telecommunications equipment.
India is certianly not a manufacturer of telecom gear, so perhaps western suppliers like Cisco, Eriksson and Alcatel will also be invited to submit their products.
Security specialists of Vulture South's acquaintance have also suggested the threat the Chinese vendors pose may be far more subtle, with some circumstances perhaps requiring the companies' staff to perform certain types of maintenance.
Whatever the exact nature of the threat Huawei and ZTE are supposed to pose, the former clearly knows it has a lot to do to regain the confidence of the industry.
That ongoing effort this week saw Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei visit New Zealand, declare it “a wonderful, progressive country” and talking about the company's plan to invest new capital and hire people in the country.
Ren also offered the following comment on the U.S.' opinion of his company-- “Huawei equipment is almost non-existent in networks currently running in the United States. We have never sold any key equipment to major U.S. carriers, nor have we sold any equipment to any U.S. government agency."
He added-- "Huawei has no connection to the cyber security issues the U.S. has encountered in the past, current and future.”
