Washington: US lawmakers push to blacklist Indian hack-for-hire firms

A bipartisan trio of US lawmakers formally urged the Commerce Department to place three Indian technology firms accused of more than fifteen years of hack-for-hire espionage on the Entity List. Separately, Parisian authorities opened an investigation after Eiffel Tower staff alleged that female workers were directed to step out of sight during a Hindu religious group's visit, drawing widespread political condemnation across France.

🪔 Eiffel Tower Hindu Visit Triggers Paris Investigation

The Washington Post reported on September 8, 2026 that Parisian authorities launched a formal investigation after Eiffel Tower staff alleged that female employees were instructed by managers to step out of sight during a Hindu religious group's scheduled visit to the landmark. French media widely reported the incident, describing how workers were told to make themselves invisible rather than continue their normal duties while the religious group was present at the tower. The directive prompted immediate and broad political condemnation across France, with politicians of varied affiliations speaking out against the reported conduct. Parisian officials moved quickly to promise a thorough inquiry following the public outcry. The Eiffel Tower had previously been shuttered due to a staff strike and had only just reopened on the Tuesday of the controversy, meaning the incident emerged almost immediately upon resumption of normal operations at the iconic Paris landmark. The episode has intensified a wider national debate in France about how public institutions should navigate requests from religious groups that may conflict with principles of gender equality and the country's tradition of secular public spaces. The incident drew attention from civil liberties observers monitoring how religious visitors interact with public cultural heritage sites across Europe, and the investigation remained ongoing as of the publication date. [1]

🗳️ Bipartisan Push to Blacklist Indian Cyberspying Firms

Reuters reported on September 10, 2026 that Democratic Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sheldon Whitehouse, together with Republican Representative Pat Harrigan, sent a formal letter to the Commerce Department calling for three Indian technology companies to be placed on the agency's Entity List. The companies named in the letter are BellTroX, CyberRoot, and Sunkissed Organic Farms Pvt. Ltd., the latter described in the letter as formerly operating under the name Appin Technology Pvt. Ltd. and its subsidiaries. The lawmakers described the firms as having carried out more than fifteen years of targeted espionage operations directed at US citizens, American businesses, and the lawyers representing those clients. The legislators argued that the Entity List designation, which the Commerce Department uses to restrict companies from accessing US technology exports, was an appropriate and proportionate response to the scale of the alleged conduct. Such a blacklisting would cut the designated firms off from US software platforms, cloud computing infrastructure, and cybersecurity tools that are essential to their operations. The letter, released on Wednesday, September 9, marked a rare bipartisan legislative push focused specifically on Indian technology sector actors accused of operating hack-for-hire services targeting American individuals and institutions over an extended period. [2]

Sources: [1] The Washington Post · [2] Yahoo