India gives mobile operator deadline on BlackBerry

"We have received a letter ... asking us to ensure that legal intervention capability is put in place for BlackBerry services by 31 August 2010," a Tata Teleservices statement said.

Another big mobile operator which provides BlackBerry service also confirmed receiving the letter from the government.

RIM faces an August 31 deadline to give authorities the means to read email and instant messages sent over the BlackBerry. New Delhi says it will pull the plug if RIM won't comply, threatening its future in the world's fastest-growing telecoms market.

(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)