September 18, 2020: The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that an expert committee under the National Cyber Security Coordinator has been constituted to study reports of surveillance of Indians by a Chinese firm, evaluate its implications and assess any violations of law.

The expert team will submit its recommendations within 30 days.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at the regular media briefing that the ministry has taken up the matter of surveillance with the Chinese side.

"We have seen the media reports on this issue. MEA had accordingly taken up the matter with the Chinese side. The Chinese side has conveyed that the company is a private entity. The Chinese side has also claimed that there is no connection between the company concerned and the Chinese Government," he said.

"The government has constituted an Expert Committee under the National Cyber Security Coordinator to study these reports, evaluate their implications, assess any violations of law and submit its recommendations within 30 days," he added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had communicated this decision to Congress MP KC Venugopal on Wednesday in response to demands from him and other MPs for protecting data of Indian leaders and others from spying by Chinese companies.

Venugopal had demanded a clarification from the Centre in Rajya Sabha on the issue of 'Chinese surveillance on political leaders and key officials.'

The Congress leader had said in Rajya Sabha that as per media report, Zhenhua Data Information, a Shenzhen based technology company with links to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government is tracking over 10,000 Indians in its global database of foreign targets.

"This includes the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Opposition leader, Army Chief and MPs. This is a major area of concern. I want to know from the government if it has taken note of it. If so, what actions have been taken?" he had asked.