RIM offers India specific solutions, but is it comprehensive?

Research In Motion, the Canada-based maker of BlackBerry smartphones has offered to install a network data analysis system (NDAS) at its premises in India that will enable the Indian security agencies a ready and lawful tracking of its services, The Economic Times today reported, citing an internal note from India's interior ministry.

RIM will set up the NDAS at its premises, which will ensure that that all data from a BlackBerry user will not go through its server in Europe but will travel through RIM's servers in India.

The NDAS will enable automatic intercepts and decoding of all data flowing on RIM's network within the country.

But RIM has refused to oblige the home ministry, which had suggested installing NDAS at the premises of mobile phone operators. Instead, it will go ahead with setting up the system at its own premises.

This refusal to oblige the home ministry may have come on the suggestion of the Canada's director of intelligence, who had come to India last month to discuss the issue with his Indian counterpart and home ministry officials.

Although RIM had earlier agreed to give Indian authorities data from BlackBerry's messaging services, it is not clear whether the NDAS will give lawful access and monitoring of BlackBerry's highly-secure corporate email service.