India investigate Huawei for spying on networks

Chinese telecoms firm accused of hacking state-owned systems

India has launched an investigation into Huawei following reports the Chinese telecommunications firm has hacked the country's state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam networks.

A senior Indian government official said the investigation follows a media report that Huawei had hacked a BSNL mobile base controller.

"An incident about the alleged hacking of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) network by M/S Huawei ... has come to notice," Killi Kruparani, junior minister for communications and information technology, said in a written reply to a question from an Indian member of parliament, as reported by Reuters.

"The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to investigate the matter," they added, although without providing any details as to the nature or state of the investigation.

The senior government official who ordered the investigation has declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the issue, while BNSL have declined to comment on the matter.

Huawei, however, have dismissed the idea it has hacked the Indian network, releasing a statement in which it said it complies with security regulation.

"Huawei India denies such alleged hacking and continues to work closely with customersand governments in India to address any network security issue that may arise in technical and business operations," spokesman, Suresh Vaidyanathan, said in a statement.

It isn't the first time the intentions of Huawei, which has strong links to the Chinese government, have been called into question. In the UK, moitoring agency GCHQ has increased scrutiny of Huawei following fears the firm is spying by compromising networking equipment.

Australia and Canada are among the countries which have suspended contracts with the telecommunications firm, while the United States has described Huawei as "a security threat."