Vodafone accused of leaking information to Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters

The ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) in India has accused Vodafone of potential links with the UK intelligence agencies.This follows recent information leaked by Snowden on how the USA was snooping Indian emails.

The ministry’s concern raises serious questions on Vodafone’s creditability. since UK and the USA are close alliance.

It is said that Vodafone and Verizon (which has stake in Vodafone’s wireless joint venture) are secretly collaborating with Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and passing on details of their customers’ phone calls, email messages and other communication, according to MHA.

GCHQ is a British government intelligence agency. Its mass tapping operation has been built up over five years by attaching intercept probes to transatlantic cables where they land on British shores, noted the MHA communication.

“Leading telecom firms, including Vodafone, are learnt to be secretly collaborating with UK’s intelligence and security agency GCHQ and passing on details of their customers phone calls and other communication and are known as intercept partners,” according to an official communiqué.

Vodafone became the first foreign telecom operator in India to get approval for 100% foreign direct investment (FDI). Its proposal to buy equity of its minority shareholders was cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on December 30 and, then by the CCEA onFebruary 7.

Source: Telecom Tiger