CCTV norms tightened, Chinese companies hit
Chinese video surveillance companies such as Hikvision, Dahua and TP Link will be banned from selling internet-connected CCTV cameras and related hardware in India from April 1 as new certification rules come into effect.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology introduced new norms for CCTV cameras in April 2024, giving the industry a two year period to certify products under the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification regime. The deadline for complying with the new rules was notified as April 1, 2026.
Norms require manufacturers to disclose the country of origin of critical components, specifically System-on-Chip, and testing devices at accredited labs for vulnerabilities including unauthorised remote access.
In 2021, the Government said a large number of CCTV cameras in public use were sourced from Chinese vendors. That raised questions about where the data from these cameras could be stored or accessed.
The Indian CCTV market is driven by brands like CP PLUS, Prama Hikvision, and Dahua. Authorities have refused to certify products using Chinese-origin chipsets or firmware, leading to a significant shift in the CCTV market, with domestic vendors now controlling over 80 per cent of the market share as of February 2026.
Sources said more than 500 CCTV models have already received certification under the new regime, so the framework is operational and the process is moving.
CCTV and surveillance devices are considered critical as they collect sensitive data. They also monitor important public spaces like — airports, Government buildings and transport hubs.
Chinese experts and industry insiders have sharply criticized the move, arguing that it is essentially a discriminatory trade protection measure disguised as “cybersecurity,” which not only violates international trade rules but also harms India’s own market interests. According to <Global Times></i>, India’s new rules lack reasonable justification and constitute targeted trade discrimination.
