Defence has not had any transaction with NSO: Minister on Pegasus

New Delhi, Aug 10: Giving a clarification about the Pegasus row, the Defence Ministry in a written response to a question raised in the Parliament, said that it had not made any transaction with Israeli firm NSO Group Technologies—the developers of Pegasus spyware.

 

The statement from the government was issued while responding to a question raised by CPI(M)'s Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala, V Sivadasan. He had asked if the Defence Ministry had carried out any business transaction with the NSG Group and “if yes, the details thereof”.

 

In a written reply, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt categorically stated that the "Ministry of Defence has not had any transaction with NSO Group Technologies".

 

 

It should be noted that NSO Group which is an Israeli surveillance software company, has been under increasing attack following allegations that its Pegasus software was used for surveillance of phones of people in several countries, including India. It was reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on a list of potential targets for surveillance using this software.

 

 

Two union ministers—Prahlad Singh Patel and Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw— opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, businessman Anil Ambani, a former CBI chief, and at least 40 journalists are on the list on the leaked database of NSO. However, it is not established that all the phones were hacked.

 

IT and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnawhad had, however, dismissed media reports on the use of Pegasus software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations levelled just ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament were aimed at maligning Indian democracy. "In the past, similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp. Those reports had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including in the Supreme Court," Vaishnaw said.

 

 

As reported earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah also denounced the report and questioned the timing of it. Invoking his famous ‘Aap Chronology Samajhiye’ (understand the chronology) barb, Shah said that this is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers.

 

“People have often associated this phrase with me in a lighter vein but today I want to seriously say – the timing of the selective leaks, the disruptions. ‘Aap Chronology Samajhiye’ (understand the chronology), this is a report by the disrupters for the obstructers,” he had said.