Latest news with #Hanwha
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Business Standard
5 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
India's alarm over Chinese spying rocks the surveillance industry
Global makers of surveillance gear have clashed with Indian regulators in recent weeks over contentious new security rules that require manufacturers of CCTV cameras to submit hardware, software and source code for assessment in government labs, official documents and company emails show. The security-testing policy has sparked industry warnings of supply disruptions and added to a string of disputes between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration and foreign companies over regulatory issues and what some perceive as protectionism. New Delhi's approach is driven in part by its alarm about China's sophisticated surveillance capabilities, according to a top Indian official involved in the policymaking. In 2021, Modi's then-junior IT minister told parliament that 1 million cameras in government institutions were from Chinese companies and there were vulnerabilities with video data transferred to servers abroad. Under the new requirements applicable from April, manufacturers such as China's Hikvision, Xiaomi and Dahua, South Korea's Hanwha, and Motorola Solutions of the US must submit cameras for testing by Indian government labs before they can sell them in the world's most populous nation. The policy applies to all internet-connected CCTV models made or imported since April 9. "There's always an espionage risk," Gulshan Rai, India's cybersecurity chief from 2015 to 2019, told Reuters. "Anyone can operate and control internet-connected CCTV cameras sitting in an adverse location. They need to be robust and secure." Indian officials met on April 3 with executives of 17 foreign and domestic makers of surveillance gear, including Hanwha, Motorola, Bosch, Honeywell and Xiaomi, where many of the manufacturers said they weren't ready to meet the certification rules and lobbied unsuccessfully for a delay, according to the official minutes. In rejecting the request, the government said India's policy "addresses a genuine security issue" and must be enforced, the minutes show. India said in December the CCTV rules, which do not single out any country by name, aimed to "enhance the quality and cybersecurity of surveillance systems in the country." This report is based on a Reuters review of dozens of documents, including records of meetings and emails between manufacturers and Indian IT ministry officials, and interviews with six people familiar with India's drive to scrutinize the technology. The interactions haven't been previously reported. Insufficient testing capacity, drawn-out factory inspections and government scrutiny of sensitive source code were among key issues camera makers said had delayed approvals and risked disrupting unspecified infrastructure and commercial projects. "Millions of dollars will be lost from the industry, sending tremors through the market," Ajay Dubey, Hanwha's director for South Asia, told India's IT ministry in an email on April 9. The IT ministry and most of the companies identified by Reuters didn't respond to requests for comment about the discussions and the impact of the testing policy. The ministry told the executives on April 3 that it may consider accrediting more testing labs. Millions of CCTV cameras have been installed across Indian cities, offices and residential complexes in recent years to enhance security monitoring. New Delhi has more than 250,000 cameras, according to official data, mostly mounted on poles in key locations. The rapid take-up is set to bolster India's surveillance camera market to $7 billion by 2030, from $3.5 billion last year, Counterpoint Research analyst Varun Gupta told Reuters. China's Hikvision and Dahua account for 30 per cent of the market, while India's CP Plus has a 48 per cent share, Gupta said, adding that some 80 per cent of all CCTV components are from China. Hanwha, Motorola Solutions and Britain's Norden Communication told officials by email in April that just a fraction of the industry's 6,000 camera models had approvals under the new rules. China concern The US in 2022 banned sales of Hikvision and Dahua equipment, citing national security risks. Britain and Australia have also restricted China-made devices. Likewise, with CCTV cameras, India "has to ensure there are checks on what is used in these devices, what chips are going in," the senior Indian official told Reuters. "China is part of the concern." China's state security laws require organizations to cooperate with intelligence work. Reuters reported this month that unexplained communications equipment had been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by US experts who examined the products. Since 2020, when Indian and Chinese forces clashed at their border, India has banned dozens of Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, on national security grounds. India also tightened foreign investment rules for countries with which it shares a land border. The remote detonation of pagers in Lebanon last year, which Reuters reported was executed by Israeli operatives targeting Hezbollah, further galvanized Indian concerns about the potential abuse of tech devices and the need to quickly enforce testing of CCTV equipment, the senior Indian official said. The camera-testing rules don't contain a clause about land borders. But last month, China's Xiaomi said that when it applied for testing of CCTV devices, Indian officials told the company the assessment couldn't proceed because "internal guidelines" required Xiaomi to supply more registration details of two of its China-based contract manufacturers. "The testing lab indicated that this requirement applies to applications originating from countries that share a land border with India," the company wrote in an April 24 email to the Indian agency that oversees lab testing. Xiaomi didn't respond to Reuters queries, and the IT ministry didn't address questions about the company's account. China's foreign ministry told Reuters it opposes the "generalization of the concept of national security to smear and suppress Chinese companies," and hoped India would provide a non-discriminatory environment for Chinese firms. Lab testing While CCTV equipment supplied to India's government has had to undergo testing since June 2024, the widening of the rules to all devices has raised the stakes. The public sector accounts for 27 per cent of CCTV demand in India, and enterprise clients, industry, hospitality firms and homes the remaining 73 per cent, according to Counterpoint. The rules require CCTV cameras to have tamper-proof enclosures, strong malware detection and encryption. Companies need to run software tools to test source code and provide reports to government labs, two camera industry executives said. The rules allow labs to ask for source code if companies are using proprietary communication protocols in devices, rather than standard ones like Wi-Fi. They also enable Indian officials to visit device makers abroad and inspect facilities for cyber vulnerabilities. The Indian unit of China's Infinova told IT ministry officials last month the requirements were creating challenges. "Expectations such as source code sharing, retesting post firmware upgrades, and multiple factory audits significantly impact internal timelines," Infinova sales executive Sumeet Chanana said in an email on April 10. Infinova didn't respond to Reuters questions. The same day, Sanjeev Gulati, India director for Taiwan-based Vivotek, warned Indian officials that "All ongoing projects will go on halt." He told Reuters this month that Vivotek had submitted product applications and hoped "to get clearance soon." The body that examines surveillance gear is India's Standardization Testing and Quality Certification Directorate, which comes under the IT ministry. The agency has 15 labs that can review 28 applications concurrently, according to data on its website that was removed after Reuters sent questions. Each application can include up to 10 models. As of May 28, 342 applications for hundreds of models from various manufacturers were pending, official data showed. Of those, 237 were classified as new, with 142 lodged since the April 9 deadline. Testing had been completed on 35 of those applications, including just one from a foreign company. India's CP Plus told Reuters it had received clearance for its flagship cameras but several more models were awaiting certification. Bosch said it too had submitted devices for testing, but asked that Indian authorities "allow business continuity" for those products until the process is completed. When Reuters visited New Delhi's bustling Nehru Place electronics market last week, shelves were stacked with popular CCTV cameras from Hikvision, Dahua and CP Plus. But Sagar Sharma said revenue at his CCTV retail shop had plunged about 50 per cent this month from April because of the slow pace of government approvals for security cameras. "It is not possible right now to cater to big orders," he said. "We have to survive with the stock we have."
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Hanwha teams up with Canadian industry to advance submarine project bid
Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean said Friday it has partnered with leading Canadian security and defense firms to strengthen its bid for a Canadian submarine project with an estimated value of up to 60 billion Canadian dollars ($43.4 billion). Alongside its parent company, Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Ocean signed agreements with cybersecurity provider BlackBerry and marine defense systems developer L3Harris MAPPS during Canada's Global Defence & Security Trade Show, known as CANSEC 2025. The two-day event, Canada's largest defense industry gathering, began Wednesday and featured Hanwha as the only participating Korean defense company. The agreements were signed in the presence of Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defense, who oversees global operations for Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Ocean, along with Phil Kurtz, chief legal officer of BlackBerry, and Rich Foster, vice president of L3Harris Technologies Canada. 'We see significant opportunities for synergies between Hanwha Ocean and these Canadian partners -- BlackBerry and L3Harris,' said CEO Coulter. 'With the signing of these MOUs, Hanwha can begin developing strategic relationships with these partners, which will also enhance and strengthen the relationship between Canada and South Korea.' Hanwha expects the partnerships will tighten its alignment with Canadian industry and provide an opportunity to leverage its partners' long-standing experience with the Canadian Navy, in particular giving new momentum to its bid for Canada's submarine procurement plan, which includes up to 12 vessels. Hanwha Ocean, with extensive submarine manufacturing experience, is collaborating with another Korean shipbuilding giant, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, to propose advanced KSS-III-class submarines, designed and built using domestic Korean technology.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Canadian Army looks to spend more than $6 billion on new howitzers and rockets
The Canadian Army is looking at spending more than $6 billion for new self-propelled howitzers and ground-based long-range rockets, according to briefings provided to defence industry representatives. The Indirect Fires Modernization program, expected to cost more than $5 billion, will see the acquisition of self-propelled 155-mm artillery, ammunition as well as new mortar systems, according to a Canadian Army briefing for industry presented April 8 in Ottawa. Information about such equipment was requested from industry, which had until April 2 to provide details about their systems, according to a request-for-information document issued by the Canadian government. The program would include fire control software and investments in new infrastructure at military bases, including Garrison Petawawa, the request noted. A project funding proposal is currently being prepared for the Liberal government, according to the April 8 army briefing. The second program is for a new land-based long-range missile system. The initial cost estimate for that is more than $1 billion but the price tag could be higher depending on how many rockets are ordered. The Ottawa Citizen reported in March that Canada's military leadership was pushing for a sole source deal for the U.S.-built High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or HIMARS. The plan that had been proposed by the Canadian Forces senior leadership would see the purchase of a number of HIMARS built by Lockheed Martin. But that acquisition has been questioned by some in the defence industry, especially considering the economic and sovereignty threats made against Canada by U.S. President Donald Trump. Another problem is that orders of U.S. HIMARS are significantly backlogged and it is unclear whether Canada could get any quick delivery of such systems. A total of 26 launchers are needed, according to the April 8 Canadian Army briefing to industry. South Korean defence giant Hanwha is currently pitching Canada on both the high mobility artillery rocket systems and the self-propelled artillery program. The company has hot production lines which are currently building the equipment for a number of nations. It has delivered its K9 self-propelled howitzer to 10 countries so far, including six NATO members. In addition, Polish soldiers are currently undergoing training on the Chunmoo high mobility rocket systems which were purchased to counter Russian aggression. The focus for Hanwha is not only on partnering with Canadian firms but delivering high technology quickly, Michael Coulter, CEO of Hanwha Global Defence, said in an interview Tuesday. Technology transfer allows Canada to make sure it has sovereign control over its military equipment, a particular area of concern for a number of nations considering some of the issues that have emerged with U.S. equipment. 'We can delivery very quickly on time to make a difference for the military and the politicians for sovereign capabilities,' Coulter said. The K9 self-propelled howitzers and the accompanying K10 ammunition resupply vehicles can be delivered in 12 months once a contract is signed. Chunmoo systems would arrive within 24 months. In addition, the systems are interoperable with U.S. equipment. Coulter noted the U.S. military has expressed an interest in seeing the K9 tested for its forces. Coulter said Hanwha already has 10 agreements in place to work with Canadian companies and more such arrangements are expected to be announced at the CANSEC military trade show which takes place in Ottawa on May 28 and 29. The Liberal government has also stated it will purchase up to 12 new submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy. Hanwha is offering its KSS-III submarine for that program. If the contract was signed in 2026 the first submarine could be delivered by 2032, according to company officials. The South Korean submarines, three of which are already built, can operate underwater for more than three weeks, without having to surface. In addition, the boats have a range of more than 7,000 nautical miles. Both capabilities would make them valuable for Arctic operations, company officials say. Maintenance facilities would be established in Canada, and unlike with U.S. weapon systems, the South Koreans would provide Canada with total access to the onboard technology. South Korea developed its own robust defence industry after being hit by rising prices and unreasonable demands linked to U.S.-produced equipment. David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: Canadian Forces pushing for sole source deal for U.S. weapons as Trump continues attacks on Canada South Korea wants to sell submarines to Canada as relations sour with U.S.
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
India's alarm over Chinese spying rocks the surveillance industry
Global makers of surveillance gear have clashed with Indian regulators in recent weeks over contentious new security rules that require manufacturers of CCTV cameras to submit hardware, software and source code for assessment in government labs, official documents and company emails show. The security-testing policy has sparked industry warnings of supply disruptions and added to a string of disputes between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration and foreign companies over regulatory issues and what some perceive as protectionism. New Delhi's approach is driven in part by its alarm about China's sophisticated surveillance capabilities, according to a top Indian official involved in the policymaking. In 2021, Modi's then-junior IT minister told parliament a million cameras in government institutions were from Chinese companies and there were vulnerabilities with video data transferred to servers abroad. Under the new requirements applicable from April, manufacturers such as China's Hikvision, Xiaomi and Dahua, South Korea's Hanwha and Motorola Solutions of the US must submit cameras for testing by Indian government labs before they can sell them in the world's most populous nation. The policy applies to all internet connected CCTV models made or imported since April 9. 'There's always an espionage risk,' Gulshan Rai, India's cybersecurity chief from 2015 to 2019, told Reuters. 'Anyone can operate and control internet-connected CCTV cameras in an adverse location. They need to be robust and secure.' Indian officials met on April 3 with executives of 17 foreign and domestic makers of surveillance gear, including Hanwha, Motorola, Bosch, Honeywell and Xiaomi, where many of the manufacturers said they weren't ready to meet the certification rules and lobbied unsuccessfully for a delay, according to the official minutes. In rejecting the request, the government said India's policy 'addresses a genuine security issue' and must be enforced, the minutes show. India said in December the CCTV rules, which do not single out any country by name, aimed to 'enhance the quality and cybersecurity of surveillance systems in the country'. This report is based on a Reuters review of dozens of documents, including records of meetings and emails between manufacturers and Indian IT ministry officials, and interviews with six people familiar with India's drive to scrutinise the technology. The interactions haven't been previously reported. Insufficient testing capacity, drawn-out factory inspections and government scrutiny of sensitive source code were among key issues camera makers said had delayed approvals and risked disrupting unspecified infrastructure and commercial projects. 'Millions of dollars will be lost from the industry, sending tremors through the market,' Ajay Dubey, Hanwha's director for South Asia, told India's IT ministry in an email on April 9. The IT ministry and most of the companies identified by Reuters didn't respond to requests for comment about the discussions and the impact of the testing policy. The ministry told the executives on April 3 it may consider accrediting more testing labs. Millions of CCTV cameras have been installed in Indian cities, offices and residential complexes in recent years to enhance security monitoring. New Delhi has more than 250,000 cameras, according to official data, mostly mounted on poles in key locations. The rapid take-up is set to bolster India's surveillance camera market to $7bn (R125.5bn) by 2030, from $3.5bn (R62.75bn) last year, said Counterpoint Research analyst Varun Gupta. China's Hikvision and Dahua account for 30% of the market, while India's CP Plus has a 48% share, Gupta said, adding about 80% of CCTV components are from China. Hanwha, Motorola Solutions and Britain's Norden Communication told officials by email in April that just a fraction of the industry's 6,000 camera models had approvals under the new rules. The US in 2022 banned sales of Hikvision and Dahua equipment, citing national security risks. Britain and Australia have also restricted China-made devices. Likewise, with CCTV cameras, India 'has to ensure there are checks on what is used in these devices, what chips are going in', the senior Indian official told Reuters. 'China is part of the concern.' China's state security laws require organisations to co-operate with intelligence work. Reuters reported this month that unexplained communications equipment had been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by US experts who examined the products. Since 2020, when Indian and Chinese forces clashed at their border, India has banned dozens of Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, on national security grounds. India also tightened foreign investment rules for countries with which it shares a land border. The remote detonation of pagers in Lebanon last year, which Reuters reported was executed by Israeli operatives targeting Hezbollah, further galvanised Indian concerns about the potential abuse of tech devices and the need to quickly enforce testing of CCTV equipment, the senior Indian official said. The camera-testing rules don't contain a clause about land borders. Last month, China's Xiaomi said when it applied for testing of CCTV devices, Indian officials told the company the assessment couldn't proceed because 'internal guidelines' required Xiaomi to supply more registration details of two of its China-based contract manufacturers. 'The testing lab indicated this requirement applies to applications originating from countries that share a land border with India,' the company wrote in an April 24 email to the Indian agency that oversees lab testing. Xiaomi didn't respond to queries and the IT ministry didn't address questions about the company's account. China's foreign ministry told Reuters it opposes the 'generalisation of the concept of national security to smear and suppress Chinese companies' and hoped India would provide a non-discriminatory environment for Chinese firms. While CCTV equipment supplied to India's government has had to undergo testing since June 2024, the widening of the rules to all devices has raised the stakes. The public sector accounts for 27% of CCTV demand in India and enterprise clients, industry, hospitality firms and homes, the remaining 73%, according to Counterpoint. The rules require CCTV cameras to have tamper-proof enclosures, strong malware detection and encryption. Companies need to run software tools to test source code and provide reports to government labs, two camera industry executives said. The rules allow labs to ask for source code if companies are using proprietary communication protocols in devices, rather than standard ones such as Wi-Fi. They also enable Indian officials to visit device makers abroad and inspect facilities for cyber vulnerabilities. The Indian unit of China's Infinova told IT ministry officials last month the requirements were creating challenges. 'Expectations such as source code sharing, retesting post firmware upgrades and multiple factory audits significantly affect internal timelines,' Infinova sales executive Sumeet Chanana said in an email on April 10. Infinova didn't respond to questions. The same day, Sanjeev Gulati, India director for Taiwan-based Vivotek, warned Indian officials 'All ongoing projects will go on halt'. He told Reuters this month Vivotek had submitted product applications and hoped 'to get clearance soon'. The body that examines surveillance gear is India's Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification Directorate, which comes under the IT ministry. The agency has 15 labs that can review 28 applications concurrently, according to data on its website that was removed after Reuters sent questions. Each application can include up to 10 models. By May 28, 342 applications for hundreds of models from various manufacturers were pending, official data showed. Of those, 237 were classified as new, with 142 lodged since the April 9 deadline. Testing had been completed on 35 of those applications, including just one from a foreign company. India's CP Plus told Reuters it had received clearance for its flagship cameras but several more models were awaiting certification. Bosch said it also submitted devices for testing, but asked that Indian authorities 'allow business continuity' for those products until the process is completed. When Reuters visited New Delhi's bustling Nehru Place electronics market last week, shelves were stacked with popular CCTV cameras from Hikvision, Dahua and CP Plus. But Sagar Sharma said revenue at his CCTV retail shop had plunged about 50% this month from April because of the slow pace of government approvals for security cameras. 'It is not possible now to cater to big orders,' he said. 'We have to survive with the stock we have.'
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First Post
3 days ago
- Business
- First Post
India makes software, hardware testing mandatory for CCTVs amid Chinese spying concerns
Indian regulators have imposed new security rules requiring CCTV manufacturers to submit hardware and software for source code assessment amid espionage concerns. read more Closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras are seen in a street in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters) May 28 (Reuters) - Global makers of surveillance gear have clashed with Indian regulators in recent weeks over contentious new security rules that require manufacturers of CCTV cameras to submit hardware, software and source code for assessment in government labs, official documents and company emails show. The security-testing policy has sparked industry warnings of supply disruptions and added to a string of disputes between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration and foreign companies over regulatory issues and what some perceive as protectionism. New Delhi's approach is driven in part by its alarm about China's sophisticated surveillance capabilities, according to a top Indian official involved in the policymaking. In 2021, Modi's then-junior IT minister told parliament that 1 million cameras in government institutions were from Chinese companies and there were vulnerabilities with video data transferred to servers abroad. Under the new requirements applicable from April, manufacturers such as China's Hikvision ( opens new tab, Xiaomi ( opens new tab and Dahua ( opens new tab, South Korea's Hanwha, and Motorola Solutions (MSI.N), opens new tab of the U.S. must submit cameras for testing by Indian government labs before they can sell them in the world's most populous nation. The policy applies to all internet-connected CCTV models made or imported since April 9. 'There's always an espionage risk,' Gulshan Rai, India's cybersecurity chief from 2015 to 2019, told Reuters. 'Anyone can operate and control internet-connected CCTV cameras sitting in an adverse location. They need to be robust and secure.' Indian officials met on April 3 with executives of 17 foreign and domestic makers of surveillance gear, including Hanwha, Motorola, Bosch, Honeywell and Xiaomi, where many of the manufacturers said they weren't ready to meet the certification rules and lobbied unsuccessfully for a delay, according to the official minutes. In rejecting the request, the government said India's policy 'addresses a genuine security issue' and must be enforced, the minutes show. India said in December the CCTV rules, which do not single out any country by name, aimed to 'enhance the quality and cybersecurity of surveillance systems in the country.' This report is based on a Reuters review of dozens of documents, including records of meetings and emails between manufacturers and Indian IT ministry officials, and interviews with six people familiar with India's drive to scrutinize the technology. The interactions haven't been previously reported. Insufficient testing capacity, drawn-out factory inspections and government scrutiny of sensitive source code were among key issues camera makers said had delayed approvals and risked disrupting unspecified infrastructure and commercial projects. 'Millions of dollars will be lost from the industry, sending tremors through the market,' Ajay Dubey, Hanwha's director for South Asia, told India's IT ministry in an email on April 9. The IT ministry and most of the companies identified by Reuters didn't respond to requests for comment about the discussions and the impact of the testing policy. The ministry told the executives on April 3 that it may consider accrediting more testing labs. Millions of CCTV cameras have been installed across Indian cities, offices and residential complexes in recent years to enhance security monitoring. New Delhi has more than 250,000 cameras, according to official data, mostly mounted on poles in key locations. The rapid take-up is set to bolster India's surveillance camera market to $7 billion by 2030, from $3.5 billion last year, Counterpoint Research analyst Varun Gupta told Reuters. China's Hikvision and Dahua account for 30% of the market, while India's CP Plus has a 48% share, Gupta said, adding that some 80% of all CCTV components are from China. Hanwha, Motorola Solutions and Britain's Norden Communication told officials by email in April that just a fraction of the industry's 6,000 camera models had approvals under the new rules. CHINA CONCERN The U.S. in 2022 banned sales of Hikvision and Dahua equipment, citing national security risks. Britain and Australia have also restricted China-made devices. have also restricted China-made devices. Likewise, with CCTV cameras, India 'has to ensure there are checks on what is used in these devices, what chips are going in,' the senior Indian official told Reuters. 'China is part of the concern.' China's state security laws require organizations to cooperate with intelligence work. Reuters reported this month that unexplained communications equipment had been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by U.S. experts who examined the products. Since 2020, when Indian and Chinese forces clashed at their border, India has banned dozens of Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, on national security grounds. India also tightened foreign investment rules for countries with which it shares a land border. The remote detonation of pagers in Lebanon last year, which Reuters reported was executed by Israeli operatives targeting Hezbollah, further galvanized Indian concerns about the potential abuse of tech devices and the need to quickly enforce testing of CCTV equipment, the senior Indian official said. The camera-testing rules don't contain a clause about land borders. But last month, China's Xiaomi said that when it applied for testing of CCTV devices, Indian officials told the company the assessment couldn't proceed because 'internal guidelines' required Xiaomi to supply more registration details of two of its China-based contract manufacturers. 'The testing lab indicated that this requirement applies to applications originating from countries that share a land border with India,' the company wrote in an April 24 email to the Indian agency that oversees lab testing. Xiaomi didn't respond to Reuters queries, and the IT ministry didn't address questions about the company's account. China's foreign ministry told Reuters it opposes the 'generalization of the concept of national security to smear and suppress Chinese companies,' and hoped India would provide a non-discriminatory environment for Chinese firms. LAB TESTING, FACTORY VISITS While CCTV equipment supplied to India's government has had to undergo testing since June 2024, the widening of the rules to all devices has raised the stakes. The public sector accounts for 27% of CCTV demand in India, and enterprise clients, industry, hospitality firms and homes the remaining 73%, according to Counterpoint. The rules require CCTV cameras to have tamper-proof enclosures, strong malware detection and encryption. Companies need to run software tools to test source code and provide reports to government labs, two camera industry executives said. The rules allow labs to ask for source code if companies are using proprietary communication protocols in devices, rather than standard ones like Wi-Fi. They also enable Indian officials to visit device makers abroad and inspect facilities for cyber vulnerabilities. The Indian unit of China's Infinova ( opens new tab told IT ministry officials last month the requirements were creating challenges. 'Expectations such as source code sharing, retesting post firmware upgrades, and multiple factory audits significantly impact internal timelines,' Infinova sales executive Sumeet Chanana said in an email on April 10. Infinova didn't respond to Reuters questions. The same day, Sanjeev Gulati, India director for Taiwan-based Vivotek ( opens new tab, warned Indian officials that 'All ongoing projects will go on halt.' He told Reuters this month that Vivotek had submitted product applications and hoped 'to get clearance soon.' The body that examines surveillance gear is India's Standardization Testing and Quality Certification Directorate, which comes under the IT ministry. The agency has 15 labs that can review 28 applications concurrently, according to data on its website that was removed after Reuters sent questions. Each application can include up to 10 models. As of May 28, 342 applications for hundreds of models from various manufacturers were pending, official data showed. Of those, 237 were classified as new, with 142 lodged since the April 9 deadline. Testing had been completed on 35 of those applications, including just one from a foreign company. India's CP Plus told Reuters it had received clearance for its flagship cameras but several more models were awaiting certification. Bosch said it too had submitted devices for testing, but asked that Indian authorities 'allow business continuity' for those products until the process is completed. When Reuters visited New Delhi's bustling Nehru Place electronics market last week, shelves were stacked with popular CCTV cameras from Hikvision, Dahua and CP Plus. But Sagar Sharma said revenue at his CCTV retail shop had plunged about 50% this month from April because of the slow pace of government approvals for security cameras. 'It is not possible right now to cater to big orders,' he said. 'We have to survive with the stock we have.' (Except headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff)
