Trusted Telecom Approval for Vendors and Telecom Operators
Since 15 June 2021, telecom licensees in India may connect only new equipment designated as a “Trusted Product” from a “Trusted Source”. The application runs on the Trusted Telecom Portal of the National Security Council Secretariat. We prepare the company and product file, handle the portal filing and follow up until the decision is issued.
What it is
Trusted telecom approval is the government’s security clearance for equipment that goes into an Indian telecom network. A supplier is assessed as a “Trusted Source”, and a specific item is designated as a “Trusted Product”. Only then can a telecom operator plug it into its network.
The rule comes from the National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector, approved by the Union Cabinet on 16 December 2020 and in force from 15 June 2021. The designated authority is the National Cyber Security Coordinator, acting on the recommendations of the National Security Committee on Telecom headed by the Deputy National Security Advisor. Applications are filed on the Trusted Telecom Portal (trustedtelecom.gov.in), which was built by C-DOT and is run under the National Security Council Secretariat.
Picture a Faridabad company that assembles network switches and has just won its first order from an internet service provider. Before a single box goes live, that switch needs the trusted designation. The order itself does not count.
The Telecommunications Act, 2023 now gives this a statutory base. Section 21(d) lets the Central Government direct the procurement of telecommunication equipment and services “only from trusted sources” in the interest of national security.
Who it applies to
Telecom licensees and authorised entities
Telecom service providers must connect only trusted products in their networks and seek permission before upgrading existing networks with equipment that is not designated. The 2026 authorisation rules carry the same condition for newly authorised entities.
Equipment vendors and OEMs
Manufacturers, importers and suppliers of telecom gear sold to operators. The vendor gives product and component sourcing details on the portal so the product can be assessed.
Indian manufacturers
Trusted sources that also meet the Department of Telecommunications’ preferential market access criteria are certified as “Indian Trusted Sources”. A Delhi NCR startup building radio units here would want both.
Why it matters
No designation, no deployment
An operator cannot connect new equipment that is not a designated trusted product. For a vendor, the purchase order waits.
It keeps your licence clean
For a licensee, the trusted-product condition is part of the licence or authorisation terms. Connecting undesignated gear breaches them.
Upgrades stay possible
An operator that wants to expand an existing network needs permission if the new gear is not designated. A product that already carries the designation removes that step.
Trusted Source vs Trusted Product
| Point | Trusted Source | Trusted Product |
|---|---|---|
| What is assessed | The vendor and the sources of its components | A specific equipment item supplied by a trusted source |
| Who is told the result | The vendor and the applicant telecom operator | The vendor and the applicant telecom operator |
| Who decides | National Cyber Security Coordinator, on NSCT recommendation | National Cyber Security Coordinator, on NSCT recommendation |
| Extra status | Indian Trusted Source, if DoT’s preferential market access criteria are met | Not applicable |
Equipment already in the network before 15 June 2021 does not have to be replaced. Ongoing annual maintenance contracts and updates to it are untouched. Here is the catch: an upgrade that adds new, undesignated equipment to that old network still needs permission. A regional ISP swapping its ageing core routers for a new model is upgrading, not maintaining.
Documents required
About the company
- Incorporation certificate and constitution documents
- Shareholding, including any foreign holding
- PAN, GSTIN and authorised signatory details
About the product
- Product name, model and technical description
- Where it is manufactured, and by whom
- Component and sub-assembly sourcing details, with country of origin
- Any test or certification reports already held from accredited labs
About the deal
- Name of the telecom operator the product is meant for
- Purchase order or letter of interest, if one exists
- For Indian Trusted Source status, proof of meeting DoT’s preferential market access criteria
How it works
Map the product and its components
We work with your technical team to list the product, its sub-assemblies and where each key component comes from. The assessment turns on this list.
Register on the Trusted Telecom Portal
Vendor and operator each have a role on the portal. We set up your account and put the company papers in the format it asks for.
File the sourcing details
We enter the product and component sourcing information and upload the supporting papers. The operator links the application to its own network requirement.
Answer queries and track the decision
The authority assesses the vendor and the component sources. We reply to clarifications and pass on the outcome once it reaches you and the operator.
Timelines
15 June 2021
From this date, licensees may connect only trusted products in their networks and must seek permission for upgrades that use undesignated equipment.
Before installation
Designation has to be in place before the equipment goes live. No fixed processing time is published, so put the approval early in your deployment plan.
23 June 2026
The new authorisation rules under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 were notified. New authorised entities under them must also use only trusted products.
What happens if you skip it
The operator cannot connect your gear
Without a trusted product designation the equipment cannot be inducted into the operator’s network.
The licensee breaches its terms
Connecting undesignated equipment breaks a licence or authorisation condition. That exposes the operator to action under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
The equipment can be ordered out
Section 21(e) allows the government to suspend, remove or prohibit specified telecom equipment from notified countries or persons.
Frequently asked questions
What is trusted telecom approval?
Trusted telecom approval is the designation of a vendor as a Trusted Source and its equipment as a Trusted Product under the National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector. Since 15 June 2021, telecom licensees can connect only such designated new equipment. You apply on the Trusted Telecom Portal and the National Cyber Security Coordinator decides. Once designated, the product is clear to deploy on this count.
Who decides whether a product is trusted?
The National Cyber Security Coordinator is the designated authority. Decisions are based on the recommendations of the National Security Committee on Telecom, which is headed by the Deputy National Security Advisor. The portal itself was developed by C-DOT and is run under the National Security Council Secretariat. The result is intimated to both the vendor and the applicant telecom operator, so neither side waits on the other for news.
Do I need to replace equipment already in my network?
No, equipment already in the network before 15 June 2021 does not have to be replaced. The government also clarified that ongoing annual maintenance contracts and updates to existing equipment are not affected. What does need permission is an upgrade of the existing network that uses equipment not designated as trusted. So you can keep running and maintaining what you have, and plan approvals only for new additions or upgrades.
Is this the same as the MTCTE certificate?
No, they are separate. MTCTE is the Department of Telecommunications’ testing and certification scheme for telecom equipment, while trusted telecom approval is a national-security assessment of the vendor and where its components come from. A product may need both before an operator buys it. We handle the trusted-source filing and coordinate with the accredited labs or consultants who do the technical testing, so the two run in parallel.
What is an Indian Trusted Source?
An Indian Trusted Source is a trusted source that also meets the Department of Telecommunications’ preferential market access criteria for domestic products. The status is certified from among the sources already declared trusted. It helps Indian manufacturers when operators give preference to domestic suppliers. If you manufacture in India, check eligibility alongside the main application so the paperwork is done once.
Does the Telecommunications Act, 2023 change anything?
Yes, it gives the trusted-source rule a statutory footing. Section 21(d) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 allows the Central Government to direct procurement of telecom equipment and services only from trusted sources. The authorisation rules notified on 23 June 2026 also require new authorised entities to use only trusted products. The Trusted Telecom Portal remains the place to apply, so a designation you already hold still counts.
Who files the application, the vendor or the operator?
Both have a part to play. The vendor gives product and component sourcing details, and the telecom operator applies in connection with its network. The assessment result goes to both. In practice, the vendor’s file is the heavier one, because it covers the company, the product and where every key component comes from. We can act for either side and keep the two sets of entries consistent.
Is there a government fee for trusted telecom approval?
We have not found a government fee published for the Trusted Telecom Portal application, so we do not quote one. Your cost is mainly the preparation of the company and sourcing file, plus any lab reports you already need for other approvals. We give you a written quote for our work before we start, and any government fee that applies to your case goes into that same quote.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Our role, and what we do not do
We handle the paperwork: the company and sourcing file, the portal filing, liaison with the authority and your ongoing compliance. A foreign OEM entering India usually needs a local entity first. We can set up your Indian private limited company and your Import Export Code.
We are not a testing lab and we do not have in-house telecom engineers. Technical testing and reports come from accredited labs and consultants, and the trusted designation itself is decided only by the government.
Ready to begin?
Send us your product list and the operator you are supplying, and we will tell you exactly what the trusted telecom filing needs.