Telecom equipment from China may face fresh curbs after the Cabinet cleared a proposal to secure telecom infrastructure by designating a “trusted source” for the purchase of equipment by service providers. IT Minister said a National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector has been framed keeping in mind the national security. Under the provisions of this directive, the government will declare a list of trusted sources and trusted products for installation in the country’s telecom network. The methodology to designate trusted products will be devised by the designated authority, the National Cyber Security Coordinator.

The govt. has set up a 22-member inter-ministerial committee in strengthening the Capital Goods (CG) Sector through interventions that help the CG Sector in contributing more actively in the national goal of achieving a USD 5 trillion economy and a USD 1 trillion manufacturing sector. The IMC will help DHI in taking a holistic view for all the issues pertaining to the CG Sector. The Committee will look into on all such issues pertaining to the Capital Goods Sector including technology development, mother technology development, global value chains, testing, skill training, global standards, reciprocity issues, custom duties to make this sector globally competitive and to become the manufacturing hub for the world.

BIS, has brought in some fresh standards for certain home appliances. The BIS in a statement said that these items will have to follow the norms set by the bureau. These include refrigerators with or without low temperature, freezers and household frosts. BIS standards that help to ensure quality certification of goods and incidental matters, have been made applicable to refrigerators and freezers from Jan 2020 and as such the industry players dealing in these goods will have to mandatorily comply with the standards issued by BIS and also obtain requisite BIS registrations.”