MeitY Clarifies Security Testing Alignment for CCTV Cameras under PPP-MII & CRO

A Step Toward Procedural Uniformity and Ease of Compliance

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued an important clarification dated 04 February 2026 regarding testing requirements for CCTV Cameras under:

• Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order (PPP-MII)
• Electronics & IT Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021 (CRO)

This development brings much-needed clarity and procedural alignment for manufacturers participating in public procurement and regulatory compliance.

Regulatory Background

CCTV Cameras were:

• Notified under PPP-MII on 6 March 2024 for:
  1. Computation of value addition norms
  2. Compliance with Essential Requirements (ERs) for Security
• Subsequently notified under CRO on 9 April 2024 for:
  1. Mandatory compliance with Essential Requirements (ERs) for Security
  2. In addition to existing safety requirements under IS 13252 (Part 1): 2010

PPP-MII came into effect from 7 June 2024, and CRO compliance for CCTV Cameras became effective from 9 April 2025.

The Core Issue

Under Section 5 of the Gazette Notification (S.O. 1119(E)), security testing reports for CCTV/VSS were required to be issued by:
Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification Directorate (STQC)
OR
Any agency notified by MeitY
STQC began issuing:

• Security test reports under PPP-MII
• IoT System Certification Scheme (IoTSCS) certificates
• Test reports for registration under CRO

However, since the Essential Requirements (ERs) for Security under both PPP-MII and CRO are identical, manufacturers were facing overlapping procedural interpretations.

The 04 February 2026 Clarification

MeitY has now clarified that:
STQC will henceforth issue Security Test Reports as per the Essential Requirements (ERs) under CRO, and the same will be applicable for compliance under PPP-MII as well.

Important Clarification:

Security certification issued by STQC:

• Will satisfy both CRO and PPP-MII security compliance
• Will NOT be linked to value addition requirements under PPP-MII

This means:

• Security compliance and value addition computation remain separate compliance tracks.
• A single security test report can now serve dual regulatory purposes.

What This Means for Manufacturers

1. Reduced Duplication

One STQC security report will now cover both:

• CRO registration
• PPP-MII security compliance

2. Improved Procedural Uniformity

Clear alignment removes interpretational ambiguity between procurement compliance and certification requirements.

3. Continued Value Addition Compliance

Manufacturers must still independently demonstrate:

• Local value addition norms under PPP-MII Security certification does not automatically qualify value addition status.

Strategic Implications

For CCTV manufacturers participating in:

• Government tenders
• GeM procurement
• PSU contracts
• State procurement

This clarification simplifies documentation requirements and reduces regulatory friction.
However, companies must ensure:

• Timely STQC security certification
• Correct classification under PPP-MII categories
• Robust documentation of value addition to avoid disqualification in procurement

Conclusion

The 04 February 2026 circular reflects a welcome move toward regulatory coherence and process simplification without diluting security objectives.
For the industry, this signals:

• Procedural clarity
• Reduced compliance duplication.
• Continued emphasis on secure and trusted electronics ecosystem.

• Manufacturers should immediately review their certification status and procurement strategy to align with this clarification.