Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, has raised concerns over the Kerala government’s decision to employ Chinese-made optical fibre for the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project. He has demanded an explanation from the state government regarding their choice of imported fibre over domestic alternatives and whether any external pressure influenced the decision.
The K-FON project, a joint effort between the Kerala State Electricity Board and Kerala State IIT Infrastructure Limited, aimed to provide internet connectivity throughout the state and free internet access to below poverty line (BPL) families. However, it failed to comply with regulations as it utilized cables sourced from China.
Minister Chandrasekhar emphasized that the issue is not driven by bias against a particular country or equipment source but revolves around upholding a trusted source framework across the country. In response to the border dispute between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh last year, the Indian government introduced a national security directive for the telecom sector. The directive advocates for the use of “trusted products” from “trusted sources” in telecommunications services.
Moreover, it was reported that the project tender specifically required the use of products designed and tested within India under the ‘Make In India’ initiative, which promotes domestic manufacturing and production.
The minister’s questioning of the Kerala government’s decision stems from the national security concerns and the preference for supporting domestic industries. The use of Chinese optical fibre in the K-FON project raises doubts about adherence to the national security directive and the objective of promoting indigenous manufacturing through the ‘Make In India’ initiative.
