BlackBerry operating in India sans permission: DoT

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has said the government has not granted permission for operating Blackberry services in the country, further complicating the issue further.

The development could impact BlackBerry services in the country as also the ongoing discussions with its Canadian maker Research In Motion (RIM) over security concerns.

Reports quoting senior DoT officials said, the government had given no explicit permission to start BlackBerry services in the country without setting up a server.

"At present BlackBerry services are being provided by nine telecom service providers. The security agencies are unable to intercept and monitor BlackBerry services because of complex encrypted communication and non-availability of BlackBerry servers in India," says an internal note of the DoT.

Meanwhile, minister of state for communications and information technology Sachin Pilot said on Saturday that the centre will ensure that no communication or information technology poses any threat to national security.

"Action is necessary as some of the services of RIM, the maker of the smartphone, have implications for our safety and security, particularly when we are fighting terrorism. National security is paramount," he said in New Delhi.