Defence min denies dealing with NSO

The defence ministry on Monday told Rajya Sabha that it has had no dealings with Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group, which is at the centre of a global controversy over the misuse of its Pegasus spyware to hack phones of journalists, activists and politicians.

In response to a question on the subject in the Upper House, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt said, “Ministry of Defence has not had any transaction with NSO Group Technologies.”

The minister responded to a question from CPI-M’S V Sivadasan, who sought to enquire about the expenditure incurred by the ministry including money spent on purchases made from foreign countries during the last three years.

The ministry’s one-line response to the query pertaining to the NSO Group comes at a time when the Opposition parties have continuously disrupted the functioning of the Parliament over the Pegasus snooping controversy.

The Opposition has been consistent in its demand for a discussion on the matter in Parliament. an admitted question “shal ask for information on ma which is under adjudication court of law having jurisdic in any part of India”.

The Pegasus row erupte July 18 after an internati investigative consort reported that the phone Indian ministers, politici activists, businessmen and j nalists were among the 50 numbers from around the w that were potentially targete the Israeli company Group’s phone hacking ware.

NSO says its software is only to government custom

To be sure, as the metho ogy of the investigation expl the presence of a number not indicate the individ phone was hacked — just th was of interest.

The government denied involvement. The opposit however, has called for a p into the allegations.

The government has nei confirmed nor denied wheth has purchased the spyware. Group has on multiple occas said that it offers services on vetted government clients. company has disputed leaked list of numbers as t targeted by its clients.