DoT may ask private telcos to review future tie-ups with Chinese cos

Raising the ante amid the border tensions with China, the Department of Telecommunication is likely to ask the private telecom companies, Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to review their prospective partnerships with Chinese technology majors and equipment makers, sources said.

The government also has asked state-run companies BSNL and MTNL not to use equipment of Chinese makers in their upgrading process to 4G facilities.

Huawei and ZTE are the major Chinese telecom equipment makers working with Indian telcos.

The impact may be felt in terms of the much-awaited 5G trials in the country. After much deliberation, the Centre last December decided to allow Huawei to take part in the 5G trials.

The development comes as part of the government's strategy to lower dependence on Chinese supplies and imports.

In other segments too, government agencies are likely to review the partnerships with Chinese companies.

In another development, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) has decided to terminate the tender worth Rs 471 crore with the Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group Company Ltd (BNRRDISC) due to non-performance, sources said on Thursday.