China Raises Concerns Over Huawei And ZTE Ban From 5G Trials In India

The DoT has not allowed Chinese vendors to participate in the 5G trials, which means Indian telecom operators are not allowed to join hands with Huawei and ZTE. Notably, the telecom ministry has allowed Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, and MTNL to conduct trials in the country.

"We noted relevant notification, and express concern and regret that Chinese telecommunications companies have not been permitted to conduct 5G trials with Indian Telecom Service Providers in India," a Chinese embassy spokesperson said.

He said these Chinese vendors have been working in India for a very long time, creating jobs, and making all efforts to construct the infrastructure in the telecom sector. He states that banning these vendors will harm the improvement in the telecom sector.

"India could provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory investment and business environment for market entities from all countries, including China, to operate and invest in India," the spokesperson added.

Security Issues Regarding Chinese Vendors

Several countries have restricted Huawei from deploying the 5G networks due to security concerns. These countries believe that Huawei is spying for China through its 5G equipment. In fact, the Federal Communications Commission of the United States said all telecom operators to stop using and remove Chinese equipment.

Notably, Chinese 5G networks are said to be the most advanced in the entire world. China was expected to dominate the 5G and it is already leading the smartphone market. In addition, China is also ahead in terms of investment in the 5G equipment.

However, the banning of 5G Chinese vendors from 5G trials shows that both Huawei and ZTE do not come under the trusted partners list, despite the latter played important role in the BSNL 2G and 3G deployment.

Disadvantages Of Not Allowing Chinese Vendors In The 5G Deployment

Even though India banned Chinese players from participating in trials, this does not seem a good option for Indian telecom operators as Huawei and ZTE are known for their cost-effectiveness. Both companies offer products at affordable prices than Indian, European, and American companies.

BSNL also informed that Indian equipment is 89 percent costlier than Chinese companies. However, we believe that national security is more important than using Chinese vendors' equipment and the Government wants to reduce its dependence on foreign products.