India to create new regulators to manage telecoms security policy

India’s Telecom Commission, the nation’s highest decision making body in the Ministry of Communications and IT (MoCIT), is set to create two new regulatory agencies to coordinate security-related initiatives in the sector, the Economic times reports, citing an internal missive from the Department of Telecommunication (DoT). The Commission is expected to approve the formation of a Telecom Security Directorate (TSD) and a National Telecom Network Security Coordination Board (NTNSCB). The former will coordinate and execute security policy, whilst the latter will be an oversight body that will monitor the implementation of policy and suggest appropriate amendments. The creation of the two bodies is intended to minimise overlapping jurisdictions, and consolidate the relevant responsibilities of the MoCIT, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the PM’s office. The creation of the two authorities may serve to further complicate the management of security policy in the telecom sector, however. The creation of multiple regulatory bodies with similar roles has not served India well in the past: the often-turbulent relationship between the DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has led to prolonged delays in determining and implementing policy, whilst muddying the waters and creating regulatory uncertainty for providers.