RIM offers India compromise to avoid BlackBerry ban

Research In Motion Ltd., facing a possible ban on its BlackBerry service in India, offered to lead an industry forum in developing ways to balance the country's security needs with customers' privacy requirements.

The Indian government has said it will ban some BlackBerry messaging services Aug. 31 unless RIM resolves concerns that the smartphones may be used for terrorist attacks or other illegal activity. Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM said yesterday it wants to find ways to address the government's requests, while making sure its customers' communications are secure. Locally, RIM has operations in Rolling Meadows.

RIM is seeking growth in emerging markets as it faces increasing competition in North America from Apple Inc. and Google Inc. At the same time, countries from India to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have threatened to curtail BlackBerry messaging services over concerns they could threaten national security and local mores.

India is hopeful that RIM will provide a technical solution for monitoring BlackBerry messenger and enterprise services, Sachin Pilot, junior minister for telecommunications, said in New Delhi today.