India not able to access BlackBerry messaging

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Indian security agencies are not able to access Research in Motion's BlackBerry messenger services despite being granted access, the latest twist in a months-long saga that stems from India's concern over security issues.

BlackBerry's Canadian maker RIM has said it does not have a key to offer to Indian security agencies that would help decode emails, India's telecommunications ministry said in an internal note, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

And even though sources from the interior ministry have told Reuters that the government does have access to BlackBerry messenger services, the telecoms ministry said in its note that it is testing a solution offered by RIM.

It said it was not currently able to intercept or monitor chat communication made using messenger services.

India, which along with several other countries has expressed concerns that BlackBerry services could be used to stir political or social instability, had threatened BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion with a ban if it were denied access to data.

The United Arab Emirates has threatened to suspend BlackBerry Messenger, email and web browser services from October 11 unless the government gets access to encrypted messages.

A top Abu Dhabi official said on Sunday they were "very optimistic" about reaching an agreement with RIM before the deadline.

RIM won a 60-day reprieve at the end of August after offering India solution to monitor BlackBerry data, a claim yet to be confirmed by the Canadian firm.

India wanted access for its security agencies to communication both in BlackBerry Messenger and secure corporate email services, and government officials have said the solution provided so far is limited to the Messenger service.

"Talks are underway," with RIM, an interior ministry source said on Friday, when asked about access to corporate email services.

Satchit Gayakwad, RIM's spokesman in India, also said his firm's talks with the Indian government were on, but declined give further details, citing confidentiality of such talks.

Last week a government source told Reuters that India and RIM had hit technical glitches in their talks on access to corporate email, but access to the messenger services was satisfactory.

As part of its broader electronic security crackdown, the Indian government also plans to send notices to Google and Skype to set up servers in India and allow full monitoring of communication, government officials have said.