An Indian government demand that it have access to encryption codes might lead to the BlackBerry's being banned from India. Mobile phone operators are urgently seeking meetings with the government to review its decision.

Government officials want BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion (RIM) to give them access to algorithms needed to decrypt messages, or face a termination of the service at the end of March. RIM has not said anything about the government's maneuvering, but since it has 400,000 subscribers in India it cannot be happy with the idea.

There is some hope that if RIM can allay some of the government's security concerns then it might just get away with it. Certainly 400,000 Indians would be extremely cross if the government turns their Crackberries into expensive bricks.