India, RIM talk again over security concerns

02 Jun 2008
00:00

RIM met Indian officials to discuss government security concerns that email sent on the BlackBerry device can't be traced or intercepted, a Reuters report said.

But there was no news of a resolution, the report said.

The government, wary of attacks by militants, sees the handheld BlackBerry as a potential security risk and wants RIM to install servers in India so that email traffic can be monitored.

RIM said it won't disclose confidential talks with any government. It told Indian customers in a recent letter that it does not have a 'master key' to decrypt messages and its security system does not have a 'back door' entry.

Two sources familiar with the issue said RIM held talks with the government, and members of the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi were also seen at the telecoms ministry headquarters, the Reuters report further said.

Indian media say commission officials have been attending the meetings to try and help resolve the issue.

The Canadian foreign ministry declined to comment on the meeting, but said it hopes RIM and the Indian Department of Telecommunications can reach a 'mutually beneficial' solution, the Reuters report said.

'The government of Canada fully supports Research in Motion and encourages the government of India to treat all companies in a fair and equitable manner,' said Foreign Affairs spokesman Michael O'Shaughnessy, quoted by the Reuters report said.

Indian Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja said last week the Canadian firm had assured the government it would provide a solution in two months.

RIM said last Friday it does not have a copy of the customer's encryption key and would 'simply be unable to accommodate' any such request.

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