In a decisive move to bolster national security, India has mandated that manufacturers of surveillance equipment submit the hardware, software, and source code of CCTV cameras for security assessment in Indian government laboratories before selling their products in the country.This directive arises from India's concerns regarding the potential threat of Chinese surveillance through CCTV cameras and their components supplied by Chinese manufacturers.

The new regulations apply to all internet-connected CCTV cameras manufactured or imported after April 9, 2025, as reported by Reuters. This policy is expected to significantly impact Chinese manufacturers such as Hikvision, Xiaomi, and Dahua, which currently dominate the Indian surveillance market.

In 2021, the then Minister of State for Communications and IT, Sanjay Dhotre, highlighted the danger of Chinese surveillance through CCTV cameras. Dhotre informed Parliament that approximately 1 million CCTV cameras installed in various government institutions were from Chinese manufacturers, posing a risk of data being transmitted to Chinese servers.

Gulshan Rai, who served as India's cybersecurity chief from 2015 to 2019, told Reuters, “There is always an espionage risk. Anyone can operate and control internet-connected CCTV cameras sitting in an adverse location. They need to be robust and secure.”

CCTV Manufacturers Voice Their Reservations About the New Policy

On April 13, 2025, Indian officials reportedly convened with executives from 17 foreign and domestic manufacturers of surveillance equipment, including Hanwha, Motorola, Bosch, Honeywell, and Xiaomi. During the meeting, the manufacturers expressed their reservations regarding the new certification rules and requested the government to delay their implementation. However, the government rejected their request, stating that the policy “addresses a genuine security issue” and must be enforced. The government clarified that the rules do not single out any country but aim to enhance the cybersecurity quality of surveillance systems within the nation.

The CCTV manufacturers raised several concerns, including delayed approvals, disruptions in infrastructure and commercial projects, insufficient testing capacity, prolonged factory inspections, and government scrutiny of sensitive source code. “Millions of dollars will be lost from the industry, sending tremors through the market,” Ajay Dubey, Han ... ’s director for South Asia, reportedly told the IT ministry.

India's surveillance infrastructure has seen substantial growth, with millions of CCTV cameras installed across cities. Delhi alone boasts over 250,000 cameras. According to Counterpoint Research analyst Varun ... , India's surveillance market is projected to reach $7 billion by 203 ... up from $3.5 billion in the previous year. Gupta noted that China's Hikvision and Dahua account ... holds a 48% share. Approximately 27% of the CCTV demand in the country originates from the public sector, with the remaining 73% stemming from enterprise clients, industries, hospitality firms, and domestic users.

New Rules Empower Officials to Inspect Facilities

While CCTV equipment supplied to the Indian government has been undergoing security assessments since 2024, the new rules extend these requirements to all devices. The updated regulations mandate that CCTV cameras possess tamper-proof enclosures, robust malware detection, and encryption capabilities. Companies are required to utilize software tools to test source code ... the resulting reports to government laboratories. If companies employ proprietary communication protocols in their devices, rather than standard ones ... , the labs are authorized to request access to the source code. Furthermore, the rules empower Indian officials to visit device manufacturers abroad and inspect their facilities for cyber vulnerabilities.

These comprehensive measures underscore India's commitment to safeguarding its critical infrastructure and ensuring the cybersecurity of its surveillance systems.