India, one of the world’s fastest growing mobile telephone
markets, also wants access to encrypted email traffic sent via
Research In Motion’s enterprise servers. The BlackBerry maker
says its system is designed so that only the sponsoring
business or organization has the technical capability to grant
such access.

India, among several countries to express concerns
BlackBerry services could be used to stir political or social
instability, has threatened RIM (RIM.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) with a ban if denied
access to the data.

RIM (RIMM.O: Quote, Profile, Research) won a 60-day reprieve from India at the end of
August after offering India a solution to monitor some
BlackBerry data, a claim yet to be confirmed by the Canadian
firm.

“We have manual access to the Messenger service. We want
automated access and we are hopeful of getting it from January
1,” G.K. Pillai, India’s home (interior) secretary, told
Reuters.

At the moment, security agencies are getting manual
printouts of chat messages within four to five hours of placing
their requirements with RIM, a home ministry source said,
adding that once it gets automated access, it could track chat
messages on a real-time basis.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For a Q+A on BlackBerry technology, click [ID:nN12132220]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

RIM later said it was in constructive discussions with the
Indian government and “remains optimistic that a positive
outcome can be achieved,” but reasserted it will not alter the
security architecture of its corporate offering.

RIM averted a ban on Messenger in Saudi Arabia in August
after agreeing to hand over user codes that would let Saudi
authorities monitor the messaging service, a consumer product
that operates outside of the secure corporate domain.
[ID:nN10122755]

But analysts see no easy fix to the standoff over email as
RIM says it has no way of intercepting the data that countries
want to access. RIM has denied media reports that it provides
unique wireless services or access to any one country.

Encryption is pervasive on the Internet to allow
confidential transmission of personal and corporate
information, but RIM is an obvious target as its BlackBerry
mobile devices are ubiquitous.

Data traffic on handsets from rivals such as Apple Inc
(AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and Nokia (NOK1V.HE: Quote, Profile, Research) can be more easily intercepted
via the network carrier. A carrier is unable to access RIM’s
enterprise data in a readable form due to the company’s
end-to-end encryption managed via centralized data centers.

Talking broadly about the security concerns, RIM’s co-CEO
Jim Balsillie told Reuters last week that one possible solution
is for a country to establish a national registry to collect
all encryption keys held by corporate entities but warned of
the ill-effects that might engender.

“Blunt instruments don’t give you the answers you need,”
Balsillie said. “It’s a complex world for security. And it’s a
powerful world in terms of commercial advancement.”

The United Arab Emirates has threatened to suspend
BlackBerry Messenger, email and web browser services from Oct.
11 unless the government gets access to encrypted messages.

A top Abu Dhabi official said on Sept. 26 they were “very
optimistic” about reaching an agreement with RIM before the
deadline. [ID:nLDE68P025]

The Obama administration is preparing legislation that
could force RIM to intercept and unscramble encrypted
communication, according to a report in the New York Times.

As part of its broader electronic security crackdown, the
Indian government also plans to send notices to Google (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research)
and Skype to set up servers in India and allow full monitoring
of communication, government officials have said.
(Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy in NEW DELHI and
Alastair Sharp in Toronto; Editing by Surojit Gupta and Hans
Peters)

India, which along with several other countries has expressed concerns that BlackBerry services could be used to stir political or social instability, had threatened BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion(RIM.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) with a ban if it were denied access to the data.

RIM(RIMM.O: Quote, Profile, Research) won a 60-day reprieve at the end of August after offering India a solution to monitor BlackBerry data, a claim yet to be confirmed by the Canadian firm.

“We have manual access to the messenger service. We want automated access and we are hopeful of getting it from January 1,” Pillai told Reuters.

At the moment, security agencies are getting manual printouts of chat messages within four to five hours of placing their requirements with RIM, said a home ministry source, adding that once automated access is given, chat messages could be tracked on a real-time basis.

India wanted access for its security agencies to communication both in BlackBerry Messenger and secure corporate email services, and government officials have said the solution provided so far is limited to the messenger service.

RIM has repeatedly said that neither it nor any wireless network operator have the keys needed to read the encrypted data sent through its BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) for corporate email services.

RIM has also told the Indian government that the company does not have a key to convert encrypted communication into readable format for corporate emails, according to an internal note from the Indian telecoms ministry, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

Still, Indian officials are talking to RIM about some solution for accessing corporate emails, a home ministry source said.

Satchit Gayakwad, RIM’s spokesman in India, said his firm’s talks with the Indian government were on, but declined to give further details, citing confidentiality of such talks.

Analysts see no easy fix to the standoff as RIM says it has no way of intercepting the data that countries want to access. RIM has denied media reports that it provided unique wireless services or access to any one country.

As part of its broader electronic security crackdown, the government also plans to send notices to Google and Skype to set up servers in India and allow full monitoring of communication, government officials have said.

The United Arab Emirates has threatened to suspend BlackBerry Messenger, email and web browser services from Oct. 11 unless the government gets access to encrypted messages.

A top Abu Dhabi official said on Sunday they were “very optimistic” about reaching an agreement with RIM before the deadline.

The Obama administration is preparing legislation that could force RIM to intercept and unscramble encrypted communication, according to a report in the New York Times.

(Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy in NEW DELHI and Alastair Sharp in TORONTO; Editing by Surojit Gupta and Hans Peters)

India, which along with several other countries has expressed concerns that BlackBerry services could be used to stir political or social instability, had threatened BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion with a ban if it were denied access to the data.

RIM won a 60-day reprieve at the end of August after offering India a solution to monitor BlackBerry data, a claim yet to be confirmed by the Canadian firm.

“We have manual access to the messenger service. We want automated access and we are hopeful of getting it from January 1,” G.K. Pillai, India’s home (interior) secretary told Reuters.

At the moment, security agencies are getting manual printouts of chat messages within four to five hours of placing their requirements with RIM, said a home ministry source, adding that once automated access is given, chat messages could be tracked on a real-time basis.

India wanted access for its security agencies to communication both in BlackBerry Messenger and secure corporate email services, and government officials have said the solution provided so far is limited to the messenger service.

RIM has repeatedly said that neither it nor any wireless network operator have the keys needed to read the encrypted data sent through its BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) for corporate email services.

RIM has also told the Indian government that the company does not have a key to convert encrypted communication into readable format for corporate emails, according to an internal note from the Indian telecoms ministry, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

Still, Indian officials are talking to RIM about some solution for accessing corporate emails, a home ministry source said.

Satchit Gayakwad, RIM’s spokesman in India, said his firm’s talks with the Indian government were on, but declined to give further details, citing confidentiality of such talks.

Analysts see no easy fix to the standoff as RIM says it has no way of intercepting the data that countries want to access. RIM has denied media reports that it provided unique wireless services or access to any one country.

As part of its broader electronic security crackdown, the Indian government also plans to send notices to Google and Skype to set up servers in India and allow full monitoring of communication, government officials have said.

The United Arab Emirates has threatened to suspend BlackBerry Messenger, email and web browser services from October 11 unless the government gets access to encrypted messages.

A top Abu Dhabi official said on Sunday they were “very optimistic” about reaching an agreement with RIM before the deadline.

The Obama administration is preparing legislation that could force RIM to intercept and unscramble encrypted communication, according to a report in the New York Times.

(Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy in NEW DELHI and Alastair Sharp in TORONTO; Editing by Surojit Gupta and Hans Peters)

India, which along with several other countries has
expressed concerns that BlackBerry services could be used to
stir political or social instability, had threatened
BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) with a ban if it
were denied access to the data.

RIM (RIMM.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) won a 60-day reprieve at the end of August
after offering India a solution to monitor BlackBerry data, a
claim yet to be confirmed by the Canadian firm.

“We have manual access to the messenger service. We want
automated access and we are hopeful of getting it from January
1,” G.K. Pillai, India’s home (interior) secretary told Reuters.

At the moment, security agencies are getting manual
printouts of chat messages within four to five hours of placing
their requirements with RIM, said a home ministry source, adding
that once automated access is given, chat messages could be
tracked on a real-time basis.

India wanted access for its security agencies to
communication both in BlackBerry Messenger and secure corporate
email services, and government officials have said the solution
provided so far is limited to the messenger service.

RIM has repeatedly said that neither it nor any wireless
network operator have the keys needed to read the encrypted data
sent through its BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) for
corporate email services.

RIM has also told the Indian government that the company
does not have a key to convert encrypted communication into
readable format for corporate emails, according to an internal
note from the Indian telecoms ministry, a copy of which was seen
by Reuters.

Still, Indian officials are talking to RIM about some
solution for accessing corporate emails, a home ministry source
said.

Satchit Gayakwad, RIM’s spokesman in India, said his firm’s
talks with the Indian government were on, but declined to give
further details, citing confidentiality of such talks.

Analysts see no easy fix to the standoff as RIM says it has
no way of intercepting the data that countries want to access.
RIM has denied media reports that it provided unique wireless
services or access to any one country.

As part of its broader electronic security crackdown, the
Indian government also plans to send notices to Google (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)
and Skype to set up servers in India and allow full monitoring
of communication, government officials have said.

The United Arab Emirates has threatened to suspend
BlackBerry Messenger, email and web browser services from Oct.
11 unless the government gets access to encrypted messages.

A top Abu Dhabi official said on Sunday they were “very
optimistic” about reaching an agreement with RIM before the
deadline. [ID:nLDE68P025]

The Obama administration is preparing legislation that could
force RIM to intercept and unscramble encrypted communication,
according to a report in the New York Times.
(Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy in NEW DELHI and
Alastair Sharp in TORONTO; Editing by Surojit Gupta and Hans
Peters)

The government has appealed for calm after the court in Uttar Pradesh state decides on the ownership of the site of a 16th century mosque, a flashpoint which flared in 1992, triggering some of India’s worst riots that killed about 2,000 people.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the verdict one of the country’s biggest security challenges, and it comes at an already tense time when India worries about its international image days before the Commonwealth Games start in New Delhi.

The issue haunts the ruling Congress party, a left-of-center group with secular roots, which will have to stand by a verdict that is likely to upset one or other major voter bloc.

“I think that India has moved on. Young people have moved on, and young people recognize that the India story is more than a dispute about a place entitled to one religious group or another,” Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said.

“People realize that the India story must not be derailed by a dispute over one place,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

Hindus and Muslims have quarreled for more than a century over the history of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, a town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Hindus say it stands on the birthplace of their god-king Rama, and was built after the destruction of a Hindu temple by a Muslim invader in the 16th century.

Hindus wants to build a temple on the site. Muslims want the mosque rebuilt. About 80 percent of India’s 1.1 billion plus population are Hindus, but Muslims represent 13 percent — some 140 million putting it behind Indonesia and Pakistan in the ranks of Muslim populations.

The court will rule on three key issues, which ultimately will decide who owns the land: is the disputed site the birthplace of Rama, was the Babri mosque built after the demolition of a Hindu temple and was it built in accordance with the tenets of Islam?

The verdict is almost certain to be challenged in the Supreme Court and a final decision could take years.

The oldest of the suits being decided dates back to 1949, and Rama is one of the petitioners. Under Indian law, a deity is a legal person and can own property.

ON ALERT

Hundreds of thousands of police in riot gear were posted at communally “sensitive” zones across India. The air force has been asked to remain alert, officials said.

In Ayodhya, security forces patrolled mostly empty streets. Many shops, businesses and schools remained closed.

Public gatherings have been forbidden in the town and India has banned bulk mobile text messaging nationally to prevent the spread of rumors and religious extremism.

Armed policemen with automatic weapons also stood in front of dozens of barricades on the narrow lane leading to the disputed site.

Those who trickled in to pray at the makeshift Ram temple, that sprang up after the Babri mosque was razed in 1992, had to go through five rounds of frisking and checking.

The narrow pathway leading to the bamboo temple is covered with an iron cage for several hundred meters, and the area around surrounded by barbed wire fences and 15-feet high iron railings. Policemen patrolled with guns.

Most people either stayed indoors or left Ayodhya, a town of about 70,000 people with a minority Muslim population of 2,000-3,000.

“Some people have gone away fearing possible violence and will probably be back only after the verdict is announced and the dust has settled,” said Rameshwar Singh, a local resident.

(Writing by Krittivas Mukherjee; Editing by Sugita Katyal))

The two countries are in talks for India to acquire 10
Boeing Co’s (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) C-17 Globemaster III planes, senior
government officials said on Wednesday, adding the parties hope
to make the announcement during Obama’s visit.

“The $5.8 billion deal along with all potential support
services and spares is the biggest-ever defence deal between
the two countries till now,” a senior government official told
Reuters.

Another official said the actual announcement could be made
during President Obama’s visit.

India and the U.S. are building a strategic alliance and
security experts say New Delhi’s growing ties with Washington
are seen as a counterweight against China’s growing military
clout.

India and the United States signed a landmark civilian
nuclear deal in 2008 and another pact in July last year,
facilitating the entry of U.S. companies like Lockheed and
Boeing into India’s lucrative defence market.

New Delhi expressed its interest in January to buy the
heavy-lift C-17 Globemaster aircraft, capable of carrying large
combat equipment and troops.

“India will receive the most advanced version of the C-17
available, which will include the latest upgrades and
capability,” said Vivek Lall, Boeing’s Vice President (Defence
Space and Security) India, confirming the deal.

Boeing has sold 221 C-17 Globemaster planes to several
countries so far, including Qatar, United Kingdom, Australia
and Canada, the company said.

India is looking to spend more than $50 billion over the
next five years to modernise its armed forces and largely
Soviet-era equipment, an effort that is in particular focus
after the 2008 Mumbai attacks revealed security loopholes and
the need to upgrade defences.

It is also expected to finalise a deal to buy 126 fighter
jets.

Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet is also competing with
Lockheed Martin’s (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) F-16 , France’s Dassault Rafale,
Russia’s MiG-35, Sweden’s Saab (SAABb.ST: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) JAS-39 Gripen and the
Eurofighter Typhoon, produced by a consortium of European
companies.
(Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by )

“They have started giving us access to messenger service from September 1,” the source said. “Discussions are under way so that we get access to the other service which is corporate email so that we can read it in readable format.”

A source had earlier told Reuters the Indian government had been granted access to data effective Sept 1, but the nature of the access was unclear until now.

Robert Crow, a vice president at the Canadian maker of popular BlackBerry phones, met interior secretary Gopal Pillai and other senior officials on Tuesday. Crow refused to comment on the nature of discussions after the meeting.

(For Slideshow: Evolution of the BlackBerry, click here)

A spokeswoman for RIM was not immediately available for comment.

India had threatened to shut off RIM’s encrypted email and instant messaging services unless it gained access to them, in a campaign driven by fears that unmonitored email and messaging puts the country’s security at risk.

In addition to India, several other countries, mostly in the Middle East, have raised concerns that the popular BlackBerry device could be used to aid terrorism or peddle pornography.

The Indian interior ministry said on Aug. 30 that the Canadian firm had offered several ways to allow authorities to monitor BlackBerry communications. The government said it would check their feasibility over the next 60 days.

India’s efforts to monitor BlackBerry traffic could have an impact on the shape of India’s mobile phone market, the world’s fastest-growing, and possibly hand gains to Apple Inc and Nokia, BlackBerry’s two biggest smartphone rivals in India.

Data sent from non-RIM devices is easier to intercept and only requires the approval of the carrier, whereas RIM says carriers have no access to its encrypted data.

India, the world’s fastest-growing mobile market, also wants RIM and other Internet communications providers such as Google and Skype to put up local servers and allow full-monitoring of traffic.

(Writing by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Jui Chakravorty)

(For more business news visit Reuters India)

“They have started giving us access to messenger service from September 1,” the source said. “Discussions are under way so that we get access to the other service which is corporate email so that we can read it in readable format.”

A source had earlier told Reuters the Indian government had been granted access to data effective Sept 1, but the nature of the access was unclear until now.

Robert Crow, a vice president at the Canadian maker of popular BlackBerry phones, met interior secretary Gopal Pillai and other senior officials on Tuesday. Crow refused to comment on the nature of discussions after the meeting.

A spokeswoman for RIM was not immediately available for comment.

India had threatened to shut off RIM’s encrypted email and instant messaging services unless it gained access to them, in a campaign driven by fears that unmonitored email and messaging puts the country’s security at risk.

In addition to India, several other countries, mostly in the Middle East, have raised concerns that the popular BlackBerry device could be used to aid terrorism or peddle pornography.

The Indian interior ministry said on August 30 that the Canadian firm had offered several ways to allow authorities to monitor BlackBerry communications. The government said it would check their feasibility over the next 60 days.

India’s efforts to monitor BlackBerry traffic could have an impact on the shape of India’s mobile phone market, the world’s fastest-growing, and possibly hand gains to Apple Inc and Nokia, BlackBerry’s two biggest smartphone rivals in India.

Data sent from non-RIM devices is easier to intercept and only requires the approval of the carrier, whereas RIM says carriers have no access to its encrypted data.

India, the world’s fastest-growing mobile market, also wants RIM and other Internet communications providers such as Google and Skype to put up local servers and allow full-monitoring of traffic.

(Writing by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Jui Chakravorty)

Police said they found traces of explosives in the car that went up in flames minutes after two men wearing helmets and raincoats fired at a tourist bus on Sunday outside the historic Jama Masjid mosque, before fleeing into a narrow street.

“We have found traces of ammonium nitrate and parts of a pressure cooker inside the car,” Rajan Bhagat, the Delhi Police spokesman said. “The probe is still on.”

Indian authorities played down Sunday’s shooting and said it could be the work of local criminals, but a government source said militant action could not be ruled out.

“We are not ruling out anything. we are looking at all possible angles,” said a senior interior ministry official, who spoke on conditions of anonymity because of the sensitivity.

Interior ministry officials said the two incidents may be connected and the government has directed the police to step up investigation and tighten security across the city, which will host the Commonwealth Games between October 3-14.

An email purportedly from the Indian Mujahideen, a home-grown Islamist group with links to militants in Pakistan, was sent to BBC and some local media after the attack. The statement threatened attacks on the Games.

“We are still not sure whether it was carried out by a sleeper module of the Indian Mujahideen, but we are not taking any chances with the games just weeks away,” said another interior ministry official.

Militant groups have threatened to disrupt the sporting event, a showcase for India as it emerges onto the global stage.

Attacks may unnerve athletes already uneasy about reports of poor security and preparations.

The United States and Australia urged their citizens to be careful after the Australian cricket team landed in the capital for a cricket series with India.

“Australians in New Delhi should be aware that the Commonwealth Games will be held in a security environment where there is a high risk of terrorism,” the advisory said.

(Writing by C.J. Kuncheria, editing by Paul Taylor)

India had threatened to shut off RIM’s encrypted email and instant messaging services unless it gained access to them, in a campaign driven by fears that unmonitored email and messaging puts the country’s security at risk.

In addition to India, several other countries, mostly in the Middle East, have raised concerns that the popular BlackBerry device could be used to aid terrorism or peddle pornography.

(For Slideshow: Evolution of the BlackBerry, click here)

The Indian interior ministry said on Aug. 30 that the Canadian firm had offered several ways to allow authorities to monitor BlackBerry communications. The government said it would check their feasibility over the next 60 days.

“(Mobile) service providors will have to upgrade so that access to BlackBerry services are smooth,” said a senior government source with knowledge of the developments on Monday.

An India-based spokesman for RIM declined to comment on whether the government had started accessing BlackBerry traffic.

Mobile operators have been asked to submit compliance reports on the upgrade with India’s telecoms ministry by Sept 22, another source said.

An official with an Indian cellular carrier, who declined to be identified, confirmed that his firm had received a request from the government asking for the network upgrade.

The sources did not elaborate on what kind of additional technical capabilities were needed in phone networks to intercept the secure communications. The sources declined to be identified because the information is not public.

New Delhi has said it began accessing some BlackBerry traffic in India, although RIM has not confirmed that.

India’s efforts to monitor BlackBerry traffic could have an impact on the shape of India’s mobile phone market, the world’s fastest-growing, and possibly hand gains to Apple Inc and Nokia, BlackBerry’s two biggest smartphone rivals in India.

Data sent from non-RIM devices is easier to intercept and only requires the approval of the carrier, whereas RIM says carriers have no access to its encrypted data.

India, the world’s fastest-growing mobile market, also wants RIM and other Internet communications providers such as Google and Skype to put up local servers and allow full-monitoring of traffic.

(Editing by Tony Munroe)

(For more business news visit Reuters India)