The mandatory certification is being planned to ensure the safety of users and security of telecom network

India has made clear its intention to make the testing and certification of all the telecoms products sold, imported, or used in the country by the Telecom Engineering Center (TEC) under the Department of Telecommunications.

The government issued a notification to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about the same keeping in mind the security of the network users.

Once the notification gets approved, all the telecom equipment suppliers such as Ericsson, Huawei, Alcatel, Lucent, ZTE, and Nokia Siemens will have to get their equipment approved by TEC before selling to operators, said a report by Hindu BusinessLine.

“While the mandatory tests and certification of imported telecom equipment are primarily targeted at Chinese companies because of security concerns, they will apply to all imports. That’s why as per WTO rules India has to inform members prior to its implementation and seek comments,” an official was quoted as saying in the report.

India sought comments from WTO members on the mandatory certification regime within 30 days the report said.

The certifications for feedback devices, transmission terminal equipment, and broadband equipment under phase 2 of the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecommunications Equipment (MTCTE) Scheme shall become compulsory from October 1, 2020, the report quoted the official notification.

The mandatory certification is being planned to ensure the safety of users and security of telecom networks, the report quoted the WTO statement.

The BusinessLine report quotes an official saying that the DoT has been concerned for some time over the security threat posed by Chinese telecom equipment in India and they hope to implement the notification within two months.