Laptop can be a quite potent source of leakage: Piyush Goyal on laptop import restriction

Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that there are security concerns involved in the decision to restrict import of laptops.

The minister said that there will be no disruption in the availability or the price and the government will be ready to engage with industry and look at other options also. “Here is an issue, which is a serious security matter. Even Tesla car is not allowed anywhere near where Xi Jinping (President of China) is present. Because they’re very conscious of the risks of security, even for a car being present in the vicinity of the premier of China. India also has to protect ourselves from countries who are antagonistic to India,” Goyal said.

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While speaking at an event of book launch of journalist Nalin Mehta, Goyal said that the present government is a listening and accessible government. “We are conscious that laptops are our continuous companion. Laptops are being used for all our privileged and confidential information. And they can be quite a potent source of leakage,” Goyal said. The minister shared an anecdote that while watching news, his television suddenly went to HDMI 1 port. ” I don’t know, we had not touched any instrument…like what happened just now…now I am even scared about my phone, will have to get this checked too,” Goyal said, in reference to his phone going in emergency mode during the event.

Talking about ONDC platform, Goyal said he has contacted three large e-commerce companies’ owners directly and he has got feedback that their progress is slow. “I personally call all three of them. And they are personally giving me messages back on the progress that their companies are doing on ONDC,” Goyal said. He said ONDC has touched about 100,000 transactions a day but “I still call it a beta testing phase”. “Some people ask me that it’s meant for the small retailers. So why are you taking Amazon, Flipkart, Tatas and Airtel and Reliance and all of these also on ONDC, because I believe we are trying to socialise it and make it a success. We need big and small things to coexist. And that will give choice to consumers,” Goyal said.