As the security threat to Government data and communication grows with usage of more and more smart technologies in governance, it has decided to set up a national level capability for certification of such equipments with mutual recognition agreement with established third party agencies of repute across the world.
The Government has also said that to the maximum extent possible, procurements in areas with strong security related concerns or covering government or public procurement per se should be based on approved preferential market access regime which allows a certain minimum share of domestic sourcing.
Ministry of Home Affairs has crafted these guidelines for approval by other ministries.
In another contours of these guidelines, the MHA has suggested that wherever Ministry of Defence (MoD) needs to host equipment of other ministries within their locations, or in close proximity, MoD may have to examine security concerns and hence the ministries will have to have a pre-verification of any foreign required for installation.
The guidelines further said that any ministry desiring to import sensitive equipments will have to send security vetting of suppliers (prior to invitation and opening of bids) with reference to equipment defined as critical and sensitive to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for security vetting. Such security vetting procedure by MHA must be complete prior to opening of financial bids. And the shelf-life of security clearance may be decided by MHA in consultation with concerned ministry and central intelligence agencies.
As per the notes available with The Pioneer, MHA has said that these guidelines shall be applicable for physical security of the equipments and broadly deal with pre-procurement phase, installation and commissioning of equipments as well as their operational and maintenance phases.
In addition, it said, any equipment with facility of remote access in sensitive sectors may not be allowed as far as possible, where it is not possible to avoid it, the vulnerability may be listed upfront. And ministries that have significant vulnerabilities from the aspect would also have to build up national capabilities over time. Ultimately such departments would have to become smart customers with adequate in-house expertise to fully understand the equipment and its potential for mischief.
The issue has gained momentum off late as in lack of domestic manufacturing, government agencies and private organisations are forced to buy cheaper Chinese equipments which worldwide has attracted attention of concerned intelligence agencies. Most of the telecom and IT apparatus used by Indian operators is China made, which has been a major concern for intelligence and security agencies.