No More ‘Chinese Eye’ in India? Govt Move Hits CCTV Giants From Today

New rules from April 1 stop Chinese CCTV sales, tighten security norms, and boost domestic players in India’s surveillance market

(Source: Convergence Now)

India has enforced new rules from April 1, moreover the government has restricted sales of internet-connected Chinese CCTV cameras, additionally this decision impacts brands like Hikvision, Dahua, and TP-Link, therefore market dynamics have shifted immediately

Mandatory Certification Before Sale

Meanwhile, new STCQ certification rules have taken effect, moreover companies must now secure government approval before selling CCTV products, additionally these rules apply to all surveillance device sellers, therefore compliance has become compulsory

Why Government Took This Step

Furthermore, the government aims to strengthen security standards, moreover authorities want stricter control over connected devices, additionally products using Chinese chipsets will not receive certification, therefore uncertified devices cannot enter the market

Chinese Dominance Faces Setback

Meanwhile, Chinese brands earlier held strong presence, moreover they contributed nearly one-third of total CCTV sales last year, additionally this dominance now faces disruption, therefore market share may shift rapidly

Domestic Companies Gain Ground

Additionally, Indian companies have expanded their presence, moreover they now use chipsets sourced from Taiwan, additionally firms have localised firmware systems, therefore domestic players continue strengthening their position

Market Share Reflects Shift

Furthermore, Counterpoint Research data highlights this trend, moreover Indian brands captured nearly 80 percent share in the affordable segment during February, additionally multinational firms like Bosch and Honeywell lead premium categories, therefore competition remains balanced

New Technical Requirements Explained

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology introduced essential requirement norms in April 2024, moreover companies must disclose chipset origins, additionally firms must ensure no security vulnerabilities exist, therefore devices cannot allow unauthorised remote access

Transition Period Already Provided

Additionally, authorities provided two years for compliance, moreover companies had time to align with new standards, therefore enforcement now begins

What About Existing Cameras

Finally, the government has not issued instructions for existing installations, moreover users can continue using older Chinese CCTV systems, additionally experts suggest disabling internet features like P2P and UPnP, therefore precaution remains advisable