India Bans Online Transceiver Sales

The government of India has shut down online sales of wireless transmitting equipment in response to security concerns, according to the ARRL Letter. This is the latest development in a story that first surfaced last fall, when amateurs in West Bengal began monitoring "highly suspicious" coded transmissions on 2 meters from a region along the border with Bangladesh. India's Intelligence Bureau took an immediate interest in the matter and asked hams to continue monitoring. Now, the Mumbai Mirror newspaper reports that the country's telecommunications ministry has ordered e-commerce websites, including Amazon and eBay, to immediately stop selling transmitting gear online to customers in India.