The Government of India has begun a new round of discussions with smartphone manufacturers over security standards for mobile phones, shifting the responsibility for these talks from the Department of Telecommunications to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, commonly known as MeitY.
Officials said the move is linked to the Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements, or ITSAR, a framework designed to strengthen the security of telecom networks and communication devices. The standards were developed by the National Centre for Communication Security under the Department of Telecommunications.
According to official sources, MeitY is now authorised to handle safety and security issues related specifically to mobile phones and other communication devices, while the broader telecom network aspects remain under the telecom department.
Industry representatives have sought to play down concerns, describing the discussions as part of a routine consultation process between the government and technology companies. Mobile phone manufacturers say no binding orders have been issued so far.
