The government on Monday said it had not made any transaction with Israeli firm NSO Group Technologies—the developers of Pegasus spyware. The Defence Ministry made the statement in Rajya Sabha in response to a question raised by CPI(M) MP V. Sivadasan.
Sivadasan 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 response to it, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt stated that the "Ministry of Defence has not had any transaction with NSO Group Technologies".
An international media consortium has reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on a list of potential targets for surveillance using Israeli firm NSO's Pegasus spyware.
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. It is, however, not established that all the phones were hacked.
The opposition has been insisting on a discussion in Parliament and demanding a probe into the issue. Since the start of the monsoon session on July 19, parliamentary proceedings have been continuously witnessing disruptions due to protests by opposition parties.
The government has been denying all opposition allegations in the matter.
