A Progressive Step Towards Practical Cybersecurity Compliance

A Big Thank You to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for Strengthening Ease of Doing Business in India

India’s cybersecurity and electronics regulatory ecosystem has taken a significant and pragmatic leap forward and it deserves clear appreciation from industry.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has recently issued well-thought-out and industry-responsive circulars that materially improve the practical implementation of cybersecurity and security compliance, particularly for CCTV cameras, IP cameras, and ER-certified electronic products. These circulars reflect a mature regulatory philosophy one that carefully balances national security, cyber resilience, and ease of doing business, without diluting accountability or security objectives.

From Rigid Compliance to Intelligent Regulation

For several years, manufacturers – both Indian and global have faced operational uncertainty arising from:

• Software component updates and End-of-Life (EoL) libraries
• Emergency security patches and vulnerability disclosures
• Overlapping compliance obligations under CRO and PPP-MII
• Repetitive testing cycles and procedural duplication

The latest MeitY circulars directly address these long-standing pain points by introducing:

• Clear classification of major vs. minor software changes
• Defined remediation timelines for EoL components
• Impact-analysis-based compliance instead of blanket re-testing
• Harmonisation between CRO and PPP-MII security testing

This marks a decisive shift from a checkbox-driven regime to a risk-based, outcome-oriented regulatory framework.

Key Highlights the Industry Has Been Waiting For

Predictability in Software & Firmware Updates

Manufacturers are now permitted:

• Up to one year to replace EoL software libraries
• Immediate patching of critical vulnerabilities with post-facto reporting
• Simplified procedures for minor, non-security-impacting changes

This ensures cybersecurity is strengthened without disrupting production lines, imports, or supply chains.

Rationalisation of Security Testing under PPP-MII & CRO

By explicitly clarifying that:

• STQC security test reports under CRO are acceptable for PPP-MII, and
• Security certification is decoupled from value-addition calculations,

MeitY has eliminated a major duplication burden faced by OEMs, EMS players, and system integrators.

This single clarification will save industry months of time, significant cost, and avoidable regulatory friction.

A Special Thank You to the Leadership at MeitY

Such progressive policy outcomes are not accidental they stem from visionary leadership and responsive administration.

A sincere note of appreciation to:

• Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister, MeitY, for steering India’s electronics and digital ecosystem with clarity and purpose
• The Secretary, MeitY, for institutionalising a consultative, balanced, and implementation-focused policymaking approach
• Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary, MeitY, whose deep understanding of both industry realities and security imperatives is clearly reflected in the practical design of these circulars

These measures demonstrate that MeitY is listening to industry, engaging with stakeholders, and continuously refining regulations so that compliance is achievable not obstructive.

Strengthening Cybersecurity While Powering Growth

Cybersecurity cannot be enforced in isolation from:

• Global and multi-country supply chains
• Open-source software ecosystems
• Rapid vulnerability disclosure cycles
• Continuous innovation and product upgrades

MeitY’s approach sends a strong signal that India can be both secure and globally competitive a message that resonates deeply with manufacturers evaluating Make in India, trusted supply chains, and long-term investment commitments.

Conclusion: A Benchmark for Future Technical Regulations

These circulars should be seen as a model for future technical and security regulations in India regulations that are:

• Clear
• Time-bound
• Risk-based
• Industry-aligned
• Security-centric yet business-friendly

On behalf of industry stakeholders, consultants, and global manufacturers, a sincere thank you to MeitY for taking a decisive step towards effective cybersecurity compliance and genuine ease of doing business.

India is moving in the right direction and policies like these make that progress tangible.

Revised process for updating libraries [Download]

Circual for PPP certificatew waiver [Download]