DoT panel recommends foreign operators establish local servers in the country
A panel established by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has suggested that overseas operators establish local servers in India, say news reports.
It has been reported that the panel is of the view that this move would help Indian security agencies access and monitor such operators’ networks within the country. It has suggested that such players be asked establish local remote access storage servers in India and store commands and logs locally.
Also, these operators will be required to build infrastructure that restricts remote access to the network during emergency situations. Moreover, these companies will have to maintain an audit trail of remote access activities related to their network for six months.
DoT will finalise these recommendations and submit them to the Intelligence Bureau for approval.
Currently, DoT permits operators like Verizon, AT&T, BT and Cable & Wireless to base their access servers outside the country. However, DoT has to approve the site chosen to house these servers. Barring BT, no other overseas telecom company has an operating centre in India.
