In what appears to be tough stance being taken by the world’s largest democracy, India’s Home Ministry Thursday issued an ultimatum to the Canada-based BlackBerry handset maker, Research In Motion (RIM), asking the company to either allow access to highly encrypted information by August 31 or else face a blockage of its two popular messaging systems - the BlackBerry Enterprise Service and the BlackBerry Messenger Service.

India is seeking the access to the real-time messaging services, which the country feels pose a potential threat to national security, by the law enforcement agencies that currently are unable to monitor the encryptions.

A news release, pertaining to the deadline given in the ultimatum, said: “If a technical solution is not provided by 31st August, 2010, the government will review the position and take steps to block these two services from the network.”

Specifying that the law enforcement agencies in the country can already access calls and text messages back and forth from BlackBerry handsets as well as the consumer e-mail service, the Indian authorities said that the threatened shutdown was applicable to the corporate services being offered by RIM.

Meanwhile, responding to India’s announcement, RIM said on Thursday that it has drawn already “a firm line” in negotiations with governments; and that it will not give “special deals” to any country, as such a move will amount to compromising on the secure nature of its corporate e-mail and messaging service.