New Delhi – A major shift is underway in India’s CCTV surveillance ecosystem as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) holds firm on its deadline for mandatory Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC), leaving many Chinese vendors and Indian MSMEs scrambling for compliance.
Despite urgent appeals for a deadline extension by CCTV manufacturers and vendors, MeitY has declined any further reprieve, forcing players across the surveillance industry to either adapt swiftly or exit the market. The certification, introduced in March 2024 and enforced from April 9, 2025, is aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and ensuring trusted supply chains for surveillance systems in India.
80% of Surveillance Market at Risk
With over 80 percent of the country’s surveillance equipment dependent on Chinese components and cloud-based infrastructure, experts warn the impact on the demand-supply chain will be “seismic.” Small and medium manufacturers who rely heavily on low-cost imports from China are now facing the daunting task of redesigning products, replacing firmware, and securing ownership of source codes—challenges they are ill-equipped to handle without substantial investment.
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The Federation of All India IT Associations (FAIITA) warned in a letter to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw that this could trigger a mass closure of over 1,000 MSME units and put the livelihoods of 4 lakh individuals at stake. The body expressed concerns about a potential market monopoly favoring large, well-capitalized players.
Security First, Says Government
Backing the government’s decision, the Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association (TEMA) emphasized the importance of national security. N.K. Goyal, TEMA Chairman said that video surveillance systems are sensitive to national security threats. The government is well within its rights to mandate strict testing protocols.
Under the new norms, STQC mandates complete control over product source codes, image sensors, firmware, and other hardware—rendering many China-dependent vendors non-compliant. Encryption of data, resistance to cyberattacks, and penetration testing are now key requirements.
Indian Brands Rise to the Occasion
However, the tightening rules are also unlocking new opportunities for Indian manufacturers to take center stage.
Sparsh CCTV, one of the early adopters of the STQC certification, has emerged as a success story. By overhauling its architecture back in 2018 for Indian Railways’ IoT standards, the company now owns its full source code and complies with all cybersecurity protocols.
Domestic electronics giant VVDN Technologies is also helping bridge the compliance gap, aiding multiple clients in adapting their systems to STQC standards.
A New Era for Surveillance Tech in India
Industry leaders see this as a pivotal moment for the Indian surveillance tech ecosystem.
Meanwhile, chipset providers like Realtek and Novatek are poised to fill the void left by Chinese hardware, offering alternatives that comply with the new mandates. Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak notes that the transformation could reshape India’s surveillance landscape permanently, making it more secure, self-reliant, and innovation-driven.
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No More Loopholes
While countries like the United States banned Chinese surveillance products outright, India’s approach has been more nuanced—mandating trusted supply chains rather than blanket bans. However, the message is clear: products with links to data breaches or compromised origins will not find space in India’s rapidly evolving digital infrastructure.
As the April 9 deadline passes, it’s adapt or exit for hundreds of players in India’s surveillance sector.