ZTE India chairman D.K. Ghosh (centre) in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI)

New Delhi, May 13: The Indian government today sought additional clarification from Chinese firm ZTE of its telecom equipment not posing a security threat.

The home ministry expects to settle the issue within 30 days.

The Chinese envoy to India, Zhang Yan, and officials from ZTE met home secretary G.K. Pillai separately today. Both sides described the meetings as useful.

ZTE and Huawei are the two Chinese companies whose telecom equipment have raised security concerns.

“ZTE officials have submitted some clarifications. They have argued that their equipment is being exported to several countries. We want more clarification on this, particularly information related to the certification of these equipment in these countries,” said a home ministry official.

ZTE has been asked to send its clarifications within two weeks. The home ministry will take another two weeks to study the information, the official said.

In his 45-minute meeting with Pillai, the Chinese envoy also voiced the concerns of Chinese telecom companies about the Indian government treating them as a security threat. “We had a very good discussion. It was a positive meeting. I hope all relevant issues will be resolved,” Zhang told reporters after the meeting.

“We had a word, talks are going on. We have appealed to the government. We have put forward our thoughts. Let’s see,” said D.K. Ghosh, chairman of ZTE’s India unit.

Both ZTE and Huawei Technologies are taking a number of measures, including setting up manufacturing units in India, to allay the government’s apprehensions.

However, worries over the ownership details of Chinese companies remain.

“We cannot allow companies whose ownership is not transparent or where owners have criminal antecedents to operate in India,” said the official.