Lok Sabha Question No. 585 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: National Telecommunication Security Policy
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: SANKAR PRASAD DATTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.585 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019

## NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION SECURITY POLICY

585.   SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has put in place or proposes to put in place the National Telecommunication Security Policy in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including salient features of the said policy;
- (c) whether all the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are following the instructions issued  by  the  Government  regarding  security  audit  of  telecom  equipments,  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the action taken/being taken by the Government against erring TSPs, TSPwise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b) The  'National  Digital  Communications  Policy  (NDCP)  2018',  which  was notified on 22 nd October, 2018, under the Chapter, 'Secure India: Ensuring Sovereignty, Safety  and  Security  of  Digital  Communications'  has  provisions  which  cover  National Telecommunications Security and related aspects. The salient features stipulated in the goals under this chapter are as below:

- i. Establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that safeguards the privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals and facilitates India's effective participation in the global digital economy
- ii. Ensure  that  net  neutrality principles  are  upheld  and  aligned  with  service requirements,  bandwidth  availability  and  network  capabilities  including  next generation access technologies
- iii. Develop and deploy robust digital communication network security frameworks
- iv. Build capacity for security testing and establish appropriate security standards
- v. Address security issues relating to encryption and security clearances
- vi. Enforce  accountability  through  appropriate  institutional  mechanisms  to  assure citizens of safe and secure digital communications infrastructure and services

(c) & (d) All  the  TSPs  are  following  the  instructions  issued  by  DoT  regarding security  audit  of  telecom  equipments.  The  details  of  the  instructions  on  audit  to  be carried  out  by  TSPs  are  stipulated  in  para  39.6  of  the  License  Agreement  of  Unified License which reads as below:

'In  furtherance  of  organizational  security  policy,  the  LICENSEE  shall  audit  its network or get the network audited from security point of view once in a financial year from a network audit and certification agency. The first audit may be carried out in the financial  year  succeeding  the  financial  year  of  the  signing  of  the  LICENSE/  Service authorization.  The  LICENSEE  is  free  to  engage  the  service  of  any  agency  for  this purpose,  which  is  certified  to  carry  out  the  audit  as  per  relevant  ISO  standards. Presently ISO 15408 and ISO 27001 standards are applicable.'

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