JUST MONTHS BEFORE the Galwan clash between India and China in June 2020, a crucial backend project of the state-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was awarded to a China-based company with links to Chinese telecom company ZTE. And despite the increasingly protectionist stance New Delhi adopted against Beijing subsequent to the clashes, BSNL persisted with the Chinese firm till its completion, The Indian Express has learnt. In early 2020, a tender worth around Rs 500 crore or $61 million to create new systems around BSNL’s call data record data centres, was awarded to a company called Whale...