DoT Asked to Examine Vodafone Transparency Report by Telecom Minister

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said he has asked the Department of Telecommunications to look into Vodafone's disclosure that India was among the 29 nations seeking access to its network to intercept calls, text messages and e-mails.

"I asked my department to examine the whole issue in consultation with it (Vodafone) and thereafter whatever appropriate follow up has to be taken," Prasad told reporters in New Delhi.

Vodafone in its Law Enforcement Disclosure report has said India was among the 29 nations that sought access to its network to intercept calls, text messages and emails last year.

The company, however, did not mention the number of requests made by India as Indian laws don't allow disclosure of information on interception and communications data.

The report also did not mention if Vodafone complied with all the requests made by India.

Asked about the issue of retrospective taxation and tax cases relating to companies such as Vodafone and Nokia, Prasad said he would not specifically talk about any particular company but said retrospective taxation should be avoided.

Telecommunications company Vodafone's report on government surveillance of its customers in 29 countries reveals more than first meets the eye - and is raising questions from Dublin to Delhi about how much spying on email and telephone chats happens in secret.

The Vodafone report said most countries required the company's knowledge and cooperation to hear phone calls or see emails, but at least six governments have given their security agencies the power of direct access.

Written with agency inputs