Huawei has just landed a new contract with Bharti Airtel, and this is a respite for the Chinese equipment maker, which does not see a very bright future in the Indian telecommunications space. The company, along with other Chinese equipment makers such as ZTE, have been ignored by Indian telecoms operators and the government for awarding new employment contracts to European suppliers. The government is reluctant to include Chinese companies in its plans to roll out new networks due to cybersecurity concerns. According to an ET Telecom report, Huawei recently signed a Rs 300 crore contract with Bharti Airtel.
Airtel awards Rs 300 Crore project to Huawei
A senior executive working for Huawei confirmed that Airtel had previously issued a purchase order (PO) to the company. He further stated that the value of the deal in question is a large part of Airtel’s total investment budget as it relates to the non-radio network.
For the ignorant, Huawei uses Airtel National long distance network (NLD), and this chord is also part of the same thing. The NLD optical transport network is vital as it carries international traffic and inter-ring traffic and also helps in the management of network capacity.
The deal is a big respite for the Chinese equipment maker, as it has been losing contracts with Indian telecoms operators for a considerable time. Airtel, along with other Indian telecommunications operators, is focusing more on the government’s “Make in India” initiative or opting for European suppliers.
It is important to note that the Indian government is still in the process of compiling a list of all the trusted companies / suppliers who can provide equipment / equipment for the core of a network. The UK and US have already taken steps to prevent Chinese companies from being part of their country’s core network infrastructure. India should follow the same path, and the government may announce it very soon.
–
