Blackberry,Tata unit tie up for secure communications system

NEW DELHI: Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry's software arm Secusmart and Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division today announced a pact to jointly develop a secure mobile communications system.

This high-end communication security solution is aimed at government departments.

"In the era of increasing incidents of espionage in State establishments and corporates with cyber security breaches and data theft, the envisaged association with BlackBerry will increase opportunities to accelerate innovation for high-end secure communication solutions," Tata Power SED CEO, Rahul Chaudhry said in a statement.

Based in Germany, Secusmart develops and implements solutions for protecting businesses and public authorities from electronic eavesdropping.

The proposed collaboration will leverage Tata Power SED's expertise in security, software and hardware design and manufacturing and Secusmart's expertise in software and security to provide a highly capable and secure communication solution meeting stringent government requirements, he said.

"I am proud of our continued success in delivering world-class security solutions, and am delighted that our cooperation with Tata Power SED will play such a crucial role in securing mobile communications for the Indian market," Secusmart CEO, Dr Hans-Christoph Quelle said.

Amid reports from whistleblower Edward Snowden that National Security Agency of US spies on foreign account and cyber threat from hostile nations, government too has been working to develop a secured communication that will be used for official communication only.