India bans 5G trials by Huawei and ZTE

India bans 5G trials by Huawei and ZTE

What happened: After US and Australia, India has also decided to limit activity from Chinese telecom manufacturers. The local Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has excluded Huawei and ZTE from its list of partner companies for 5G development trials. Instead, the DoT is now talking to Cisco, Samsung, Nokia, and Ericsson. The DoT has not explicitly stated the reason behind the decision but it is likely to do with security concerns.

Why it’s important: This is not the first time Chinese telecom makers are facing roadblocks in the country. In 2010, the Indian government unofficially banned mobile phone operators from using Chinese telecom equipment over fears of spying. Chinese analysts quoted by the nationalist tabloid Global Times have said that the ban is politically motivated and that India is trying to please the US. Things are not boding well for Huawei: the company recently denied a rumor that it’s in the process of being acquired by a state-owned entity.