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Intelligence agencies fear China is trying to encircle India via tech deals

Zarvan

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NEW DELHI: India should counter China's move to build and run communication networks in its neighbourhood countries such as Nepal and Maldives, the telecom ministry and the national security establishment have cautioned, following an alarm raised by intelligence agencies.

The Research & Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency, raised an alarm in early December about China's growing partnerships in the region, which could potentially compromise the integrity of telecom and Internet communication between India and its neighbours.

The communications ministry now wants New Delhi to take up the issue with neighbouring countries and also make competing offers for technological expertise and financing.

In a December 10 note, R&AW reported that the Maldives foreign affairs ministry had approached China for "concessional financing" of $60 million from its Export Import Bank to develop the island nation's IT infrastructure. The agency also reported that Chinese telecom giant Huawei had signed an MoU to develop the IT infrastructure of Maldives under the 'Smart Maldives' project.

The development in Maldives come months after the agency had warned of a similar move in Nepal, where Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE were installing next-gen networks for Nepal Telecom. India's security agencies suspect Huawei and ZTE of having close ties with the Chinese military. In a separate October 2012 report, the agency had also asked India to take counter measures after ZTE secured a $44-million deal to build four high-tech data centres for Nepal's privately held Ncell.


"It is further stated that China increasingly targeting nations in our immediate neighbourhood for IT co-operation is indeed a matter of concern. The proposed project is significant due to the fact that China can capitalise its influence over Maldives to utilise the latter's IT network once the project is implemented. The possibility of bugged equipment to monitor and intercept any communication between India-Nepal and India-Maldives through these co-operations cannot be ruled out," the agency has warned, according to persons who have knowledge of the communication.

Some analysts claim that China has a strategy of creating a circle of influence around India by setting up military bases, resupply and recuperating ports as well as listening posts in neighbouring countries — the so-called 'string of pearls' strategy. The validity of this thesis is, however, hotly debated.

Earlier this month, the security wing of the communications ministry approached the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Secretariat, Joint Intelligence Committee, National Security Council Secretariat as well as the ministry of external affairs, proposing that India take up the matter with Maldives and request the government there for an amicable solution.

Intelligence agencies as well as certain segments of the government also want India to offer technological expertise and plan substantial investments in both Maldives and Nepal, so that traffic between India and these countries are handled through the equipment installed and commissioned by New Delhi.

The R&AW report on Maldives seeking Chinese funding comes just days after India's ties with the island nation nose-dived as the Waheed government terminated the $511-million contract given to the GMR Group for developing the Male airport.

Several media reports had quoted Indian government sources as indicating that China may be behind the move to terminate the airport deal. Last month, Maldives President Mohammed Waheed denied reports that China had nudged his country to expel GMR.
Intelligence agencies fear China is trying to encircle India via tech deals with neighbouring nations - The Economic Times
 
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Naturally grat game continues but we are playing our cards in SCS. Sorry data if I came on too harsh, not having a good day (flu).:fie:
 
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India is a bit like bollywood movie.
They always find an excuse to blame China or Pakistan.
The know China is going to do X Y Z but cannot take action until its too late.
Finally they try to be center of the world when China has much bigger challenges of Japan and USA to face.
 
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India is a bit like bollywood movie.
They always find an excuse to blame China or Pakistan.
The know China is going to do X Y Z but cannot take action until its too late.
Finally they try to be center of the world when China has much bigger challenges of Japan and USA to face.

Kuch baat bani nahi, try again.......
 
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Soon India will face multifront wars against all it's neighbors.
 
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typical paranoia patient.intel and AMD controled the world CPU market and the MS controled the OS market,so should the hostile countries of US ban the using of PCs?how crazy!
before Huawei and ZTE rise up, the China communications equipment market is controled by ericsson, Cisco, Nokia...should we stop using telephone and internet?
now, the 13th year of 21th century,a so called fast developing country is not only stick to its own closed-door policy, but also try hard to stop its neighbors' modernization.how ridiculous it is.
i myself strongly hope our Huawei and ZTE leave away from that closed-door country,it is a small market and they cann't make much money. their entrance in that market would only speed up the econemy without any benifit.our companies should focus more on other countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan
 
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