India may be the world’s hottest telecom market but it is becoming a nightmare for foreign suppliers.

 

Research in Motion (RIM) is at a standoff with security services over access to data sent over the BlackBerry, while equipment suppliers are angry over new network security measures announced last week.

 

The Canadian device maker told the Financial Times that it sees no prospect of a deal with Indian authorities over the BlackBerry, which has been banned in Saudi Arabia and likely to be blocked in the Gulf states as well.

 

RIM refused government requests to set up a proxy server in India and was also refusing to open up its technology to local authorities, which would enable government surveillance.

 

“It’s like asking Coke for their secret formula. It’s not going to happen,” a source told the FT.

The vendor denied reports it had offered India a unique solution, in a statement mailed to telecomseurope.net.

 

“There is only one BlackBerry enterprise solution available to our customers around the world and it remains unchanged in all of the markets we operate in.”