Google, Skype next on India's blacklist?

Minutes from a private meeting have revealed that search giant Google and IP telephony company Skype are next in line to be targeted by the Indian government, following its crackdown on Research In Motion (RIM).

According to a report late Thursday by the Financial Times, Google, Skype and other communication services are now on the government's black list. The Indian government had earlier threatened to shut down BlackBerry services over security concerns regarding its encrypted BlackBerry e-mail and instant messaging services, giving RIM until Aug. 31 to "come up with a technical solution" or risk being evicted from the country.

Financial Times said the latest update came from minutes of a Jul. 12 meeting between India's Department of Telecommunications (Security Wing), telecoms and Internet operator associations in which the parties discussed a possible solution for security agencies to intercept and monitor encrypted communications. FT said it has seen the government document and has confirmation of the details from "two of the operator associations present."

For more on this story, read India govt to block Google, Skype? on ZDNet Asia.