The Indian government is examining a possible “rip and replace” programme to remove older Chinese telecom equipment from the country’s cellular networks, with authorities seeking details from telecom operators on the extent and potential cost of such a move.
According to a report by Moneycontrol, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is assessing the proposal, while the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been tasked with collecting information from telecom companies about their use of equipment supplied by Chinese manufacturers, including Huawei and ZTE.
Govt Reviews Legacy Chinese Equipment
The exercise is focused on equipment installed before India introduced its trusted sources regime in 2021. The National Security Directive on the Telecommunication Sector established the framework, under which telecom operators were required to procure equipment from approved or trusted sources.
However, equipment deployed before the rules came into effect was allowed to remain operational. The government is now seeking to determine how much such legacy Chinese technology remains embedded in telecom networks.
Officials said the information would help the MHA assess what a potential replacement programme could involve and how much it would cost telecom operators.
Cost of Replacing Equipment Under Assessment
Replacing legacy equipment would require significant capital expenditure by telecom companies. Industry participants could seek compensation if the government ultimately mandates removal of equipment that was legally deployed before the trusted-sources framework came into force.
The MHA is therefore seeking data through the DoT on operators’ exposure to Chinese telecom hardware and the estimated expenses associated with replacing it.
The initiative remains at an evaluation stage, and no final decision has been taken on whether a nationwide replacement programme will be implemented.
According to officials, the Home Ministry would have the final say on any “rip and replace” policy, while the DoT’s role is primarily to provide information and support the assessment.
The review reflects the government’s continuing focus on telecom network security and supply-chain risks, particularly in infrastructure considered critical to national communications.
