BSNL cancels Rs 8,697-crore 4G tender as support for locally designed, manufactured gear gathers steam. The move is speculated to have been a result of the heightened India-China border tension and Niti Aayog’s suggestions to allow only locally designed and manufactured equipment for the 4G rollout. <br />Though the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has not taken any decision to bar Chinese firms or other global players from participating, it has formed a committee to recommend technical specifications for the revised BSNL 4G tender. The report of the panel is expected in a couple of weeks. <br />In the wake of the anti-China sentiment, the committee will also deliberate whether to invoke Clause 10(d) of the Make in India norms, notified in 2017. According to the clause, if a nodal ministry is satisfied that Indian suppliers of an item are not allowed to participate or compete in procurement by any foreign government, it may restrict bidders from that country
