Chinese vendor ZTE is moving to assure Indian operators that it will comply with the country's latest telecom security rules, and Huawei is expected to follow suit.
ZTE has told the operators that it will follow the new security guidelines, which require core equipment and related source code to be independently audited before it can be installed, sources told the Economic Times.
The vendor is seeking to negotiate formal new supply agreements that comply with the rules – which will be necessary because the onus for compliance is squarely on the operators.
Tata Teleservices has told the Department of Telecom (DoT) of ZTE's commitment to the new framework.
Huawei is expected to sign up to the new rules shortly, according to a DoT official.
The supplier in May signaled its willingness to make its source code available for verification.
Huawei and ZTE have a combined order backlog in India of around $750 million (€565 million), Associated Press reported.
Western vendors have been more resistant to the new rules.
Ericsson has called them “unprecedented” and another vendor has said it will continue lobbying to have them eased.
Last month, 11 trade groups also urged US secretary of state Hilary Clinton to pressure India to suspend the rules, however the willingness of Chinese vendors to comply could give Indian regulators ammunition in their negotiations with the European hold-outs, ET said.