BlackBerry, Tata Power join hands to set up anti-espionage system for govt

The Centre will use the services of BlackBerry to set up an anti-espionage communication system. For this, the Canadian firm has partnered with Tata Power’s Strategic Engineering Division to develop a secret communication system tailored for the Indian government.

BlackBerry will execute the project through its recently acquired German subsidiary, Secusmart, which specialises in high-security voice and data encryption and anti-eavesdropping solutions. It had earlier developed a security application for Vodafone.   The company’s solution was also selected by Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security for classified communication by the country’s highest public officials.

No details yet BlackBerry and Tata Power have signed a term sheet, coinciding with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s official trip to India. However, details of the communications system were not immediately disclosed. “In the era of increasing incidents of espionage in state establishments and corporates, with cyber security breaches and data theft, the envisaged association with BlackBerry will increase opportunities to accelerate innovation for high-end secure communication solutions,” said Rahul Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer of Tata Power SED.

The Indian company has been developing defence systems for close to four decades.

Tata Power’s share price ended the day 2.83 per cent higher, at ₹69, on the BSE.

The proposed collaboration is aimed at leveraging Tata Power SED’s and Secusmart’s expertise and provide a secure communication solution meeting stringent government requirements, Chaudhry added.

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