BSNL Tender — NextGen WAN for Dept of Posts

Government awarded a contract on a nomination basis to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) for the modernization of IT network of Department of Posts (DoP) in order to provide BSNL with some assured business for its revival. However, given how BSNL has proceeded with its tendering, DoP may end up with the same fate as BSNL. BSNL’s tender specification on cybersecurity is weak despite CERT-In’s warning of AI-driven, low-cost accelerated threats.

Besides this external threat, BSNL has already ignored an internal threat by allowing a Trojan Horse: DoP’s competitor (Bharti Airtel) has sneaked into the bid by hiding behind Lavelle, who is an OEM for two bidders in this tender – Sify and Pace. As per RoC fillings by Lavelle Networks Pvt Ltd, Bharti Airtel has 0.26 per cent equity stake and 77.93 per cent CCPS in it. Neither Lavelle nor Bharti Artel has disclosed the terms of conversion of CCPS into equity.