Dahua and Hikvision banned in India: India will restrict the use of Chinese-origin CCTV cameras and other video surveillance products from April 1. The move targets companies like Hikvision and Dahua Technology due to national security concerns, according to an Economic Times report. The decision is part of a broader push to strengthen digital security and reduce reliance on foreign surveillance technology.
This step is expected to disrupt the existing surveillance equipment market while creating opportunities for domestic manufacturers in one of the world’s fastest-growing video surveillance sectors. Under new certification rules, all CCTV products sold in India must receive approval from the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) framework starting next month.
Indian companies fill gap left by Chinese CCTV giants
The ban will be a big setback for Chinese brands, which once dominated India’s CCTV market. Until last year, they made up nearly one-third of total sales. Now, the whole scenario has changed, with Indian companies taking a larger share of the market. Indian brands like CP Plus, Qubo, Prama, Matrix, and Sparsh are growing rapidly. These homegrown companies are changing their supply chains by avoiding Chinese components, using Taiwanese chipsets, and developing their own local software.
According to media reports, Indian players control more than 80 per cent of the market as of February 2026,, with the rest shared by global brands and smaller unorganised vendors, the news report said. Multinational companies such as Bosch and Honeywell dominate the premium segment of the market.
India may ban Chinese CCTV brands: Why it matters
Surveillance systems are considered critical infrastructure because they collect large amounts of sensitive data and monitor key public places such as airports, government buildings, and transport hubs. Using foreign-made surveillance equipment can pose risks like data leaks, unauthorised remote access, and even potential foreign control over important surveillance networks.
These restrictions come after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology introduced Essential Requirements (ER) norms for CCTV cameras in April 2024. The industry has been given a two-year transition period to get products certified under the government’s Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) system.
India’s CCTV Market Size
India’s video surveillance market is worth around $5 billion to $7.5 billion, according to Mordor Intelligence. It has grown fast over the past decade due to increasing urbanisation, smart city projects, and higher security needs in both public and private areas. In 2024, Chinese and Indian companies each held about one-third of the market. Multinational brands had around 10%, while smaller, unorganised players made up the remaining 20%. Since then, many Chinese companies have either changed their supply chains or left the market.
India tightens curbs on Chinese tech over security concerns
In recent years, the government has taken several steps to reduce the use of Chinese technology in key sectors. This includes banning apps like TikTok and restricting telecom equipment from companies such as Huawei and ZTE. Security agencies have raised concerns about risks like hidden “backdoor” access, data being sent to foreign servers, and the use of such cameras in sensitive areas like defence sites and government buildings.
