Reports: BlackBerry, Skype, Google face India data demand

Reports: BlackBerry, Skype, Google face India data demand

India's Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has been asked by the government to serve a notice to Skype and Research In Motion (RIM) to ensure that their email and other data services comply with formats that can be read by security and intelligence agencies, according to reports in two Indian newspapers.

Skype and the BlackBerry service could face a ban in India if they do not comply within 15 days, according to reports in The Economic Times, and The Hindu Business Line. A similar notice is also being sent to Google asking it to provide access to content on Gmail in a readable format.

Both reports cite minutes of a joint meeting of the country's home ministry, the DOT, and security agencies.

India's security agencies have for a long time asked for greater access to online data communications as they worry that terrorists could be planning attacks using such services.