Question : Stealing of Video Surveillance Data by Chinese CCTV Companies

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government has any data on the number of CCTV cameras sold by Chinese companies in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is aware of the fact that Chinese owned CCTV camera companies are sharing Indian video-surveillance footage with the Chinese Government;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto along with the steps taken/being taken by the Government to restore sovereignty of the country over its video surveillance data; and
(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to restrict the operations of Chinese owned CCTV camera manufacturing companies in the Indian market?

(a): As per Industry estimates, around 10 lakh CCTV Cameras from Chinese companies are installed in Government Institutions in the country which includes CCTV cameras sold by Chinese companies in the country.
(b) and (c): There are vulnerabilities associated with video data captured through CCTV cameras being transferred to servers located abroad. The orders regarding filtering of URL and IP addresses issued by the Government from time to time have been implemented in all the Internet Service Provider (ISP) / Telecommunications Service Provider (TSP) networks.
(d): Government has taken following steps to ensure safety and security concerns arising out of imported CCTV surveillance systems being used in the country:

I. In order to curb import and sale of substandard electronics goods, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has notified “Electronics and IT Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012” in the Gazette of India vide S.O. No. 2357(E) dated 03.10.2012 and under the provision of “Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS)” of BIS Act, 1986 mandating Indian Safety Standards for notified electronic product categories. The CCTV Cameras / CCTV Recorders were notified under the schedule of the Order vide gazette notification S.O. 2742(E) dated 17.08.2017.
II. Department of Expenditure (DoE) vide Order No. F.NO.6/18/2019-PPD dated 23.07.2020 has issued an Order regarding restrictions under Rule 144(xi) of GFR 2017. As per the aforesaid Order dated 23.07.2020, any bidder from a country which shares a land border with India will require registration from the Registration Committee to bid in any procurement whether of goods, services (including consultancy services and non-consultancy services) or works (including turnkey projects).

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