CCTV Ban in India - Is it true?

Are you considering purchasing a CCTV camera? India will ban some Chinese companies from April 1. Here's what you need to know.

The Indian government will implement a complete ban on the sale of non-certified internet-connected CCTV cameras from Chinese manufacturers from April 1, marking the end of a two-year transition period for the surveillance industry.
Industry officials told ET Bureau that authorities are flatly refusing to certify hardware that uses Chinese-origin chipsets or firmware, effectively locking major global players out of the world's fastest-growing security market.
Regulatory intervention has already triggered a major shift in supply chains, with domestic suppliers expected to control 80% of the market share by February 2026, while established Chinese brands will be forced into liquidation or limited joint ventures to maintain a small presence.

Quelles Enterprises Chinois Fermentation?

The new certification rules will primarily target Hikvision and Dahua, two world leaders in video surveillance, which together will control a third of the Indian market by 2024. Anup Nair, director of strategy and operations at Aditya Infotech, told ET Bureau that the huge factory, which can produce 2 million Hikvision cameras every month, was denied certification for manufacturing products of Chinese origin.

Hikvision tried to survive through joint ventures with Indian companies, but Dahua's business declined by 80% and the brand is now limited to selling old analog cameras. Additionally, smartphone brands like Xiaomi and Realme have been completely ousted from the smart home camera segment due to failure to comply with the STQC regime. What happens to consumers who use these brands?

Current owners of these brands of connected cameras may face significant long-term challenges with software updates and cybersecurity. The MeitY rules specifically target vulnerabilities that allow unauthorized remote access. Although existing cameras will not be physically confiscated, the government's refusal to certify these models means new stock will disappear from stores and official technical support may be reduced as these companies exit the market.

Additionally, Varun Gupta, an analyst at Counterpoint Research, said that small merchants that failed to obtain certification have already disappeared, leaving consumers with limited access to hardware repairs and warranty claims for non-compliant devices.

Will the price of video surveillance systems increase for new buyers? 

Material costs (MC) of manufacturers have already increased by 15-20% due to rejection of cheap Chinese parts. Industry executives told ET Bureau that the price gap between Chinese chipsets and non-Chinese chipsets from Taiwan and the US is large, leading to a sharp increase in the cost of mid-range and high-end surveillance systems.

While major domestic players have managed to keep entry-level prices relatively stable by localizing smaller components, the overall market is under additional pressure due to global memory and processor supply shortages.