Indian security forces set sights on Google and Skype

Google and Skype could face similar demands to RIM

The Indian authorities look set to demand access to data from Google and Skype, among other communications firms, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts in the country.

RIM was given a 60-day reprieve earlier this week on a possible ban on its services, but reports suggest that, while BlackBerry users can rest easy for the time being, users of other popular services will face a similar period of uncertainty.

"If a company is providing telecom services in India, all communications must be available to Indian security services," a spokesman for the home ministry told AFP.

"If Google or Skype have a component that is not accessible, that will not be possible. The message is the same for everybody."

The Press Trust of India also reported that notices will be sent to the firms. "All of them will be asked to comply with the directive or else they will have to close down their networks," a senior government official is quoted as saying.

V3.co.uk contacted Google to ask whether it had received any direct contact from the authorities, but a spokesperson said that the company "had not received any communication on this issue from the government and is therefore unable to comment".

Skype was also contacted, but had not replied at the time of publication.

The crackdown on other service providers has been mooted for some time, after reports suggested that government agencies had decided to pursue RIM before going after other providers, specifically referring to Google and Skype.

Last week RIM offered to set up an industry forum for the Indian authorities to manage the way data should be accessed, which analysts claimed was a smart move as it would shift the spotlight from BlackBerry devices to other services, as seems to be the case.