Will India ban the Blackberry?

By NDTV Correspondent | Updated: 6 June 2012 13:19 IST

Highlights

It is literally the lifeline for corporates across the world, but now Blackberry services could be banned in India if the company fails to comply with Indian security norms. With barely hours left for a decision, intelligence agencies are confident that B

It is literally the lifeline for corporates across the world, but now Blackberry services could be banned in India if the company fails to comply with Indian security norms.

With barely hours left for a decision, intelligence agencies are confident that Blackberry is going blink first.

Sources have told NDTV that there is no way that they can compromise India's security.

The main concern is the email service and the messenger chat service.

Currently the messenger service and emails cannot be cracked. Security agencies suspect terrorists and money launderers could use these and escape detection. So to stop this, the government wants Blackberry to give the key to servers.

Blackberry servers have software which encrypts all emails and chats. But Blackberry refuses to handover the codes to Indian security agencies, because its USP is to provide the most secure cellphone communication.

However, reports suggest Blackberry has compromised with the US, Saudi Arabia and even China, allowing them access to encrypted communication.

The Blackberry company, Research in Motion (RIM), has refused to react, although it told The Economist that: "Any claims that we provide, or have ever provided, something unique to the government of one country that we have not offered to the governments of all countries, are unfounded."

Now the Indian telecom companies are also backing the government.

"RIM must understand that India is a developed economy with a growing market and it must address the security concerns of the country," said Rajan Mathew, Director General, Cellular Operator Association of India.

The government hopes that a growing Indian market will be difficult for Blackberry to ignore and it will accept the government's demands.

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