India’s CCTV market is entering a new phase as STQC-linked compliance becomes the baseline for connected surveillance products. What began as a technical certification requirement has now become a market filter, with manufacturers expected to meet stricter cybersecurity, firmware, and hardware standards before their products can move freely in the country.
The shift matters because surveillance is now increasingly being viewed through the lens of data security, supply-chain control, and critical infrastructure. That makes the debate around CCTV cameras bigger than product pricing or distribution. It is now about who gets to participate in the market, under what conditions, and with what level of scrutiny.
This Time Around, Compliance Is Non‑Negotiable
The immediate impact is on competition, pricing, and product positioning. Brands that fail to meet the compliance bar may find it harder to maintain their presence in India, while vendors that aligned early with the new framework are now in a stronger position to benefit from the transition.
For buyers, the change could mean a market that is less dependent on low-cost imports and more focused on certified, locally aligned products. That may raise prices in the short term, but it also pushes the market toward systems that are built around security and traceability rather than only scale and cost.
For the industry, the bigger question is whether this becomes a compliance race or a broader reset in how surveillance products are designed, tested, and sold in India. In this context, CXO XPERTS interacted with Aditya Khemka, the Founder and Managing Director at CP PLUS.
1. How do you expect this compliance-driven shift to impact other players in the Indian surveillance market, including larger Chinese brands that may find it harder to meet STQC requirements?
The shift towards STQC compliance places trust, transparency and security at the centre of growth signalling a natural evolution of the market where quality, accountability and alignment with national priorities become the foundation for long-term success.
For all players in the ecosystem, this is a chance to improve and strengthen our capabilities. ”Compliance is no longer just a requirement, it’s becoming a shared benchmark for credibility and future readiness.” As standards become more robust, companies must adapt their products, processes, and architectures to meet these expectations. This may take time and investment, but it ultimately leads to a stronger and more resilient industry.
We’ve always believed in building India by building in India. Our focus on local manufacturing and ecosystem partnerships has naturally aligned with these evolving standards. This transition isn’t about exclusion; it’s about collective progress. It encourages the entire industry to move towards higher levels of trust, transparency, and technological responsibility.
2. How is CP PLUS using this compliance to strengthen its position with customers and partners?
At CP PLUS, compliance is a commitment, not a checkbox. As India’s surveillance ecosystem moves towards STQC-certified solutions, we’re helping define it. We’ve built the industry’s largest portfolio of STQC-certified and government-approved BIS-ER compliant products, offering customers and partners absolute confidence. Certification is not just a regulatory badge; it’s a validation of trust, cybersecurity resilience, and India’s technological strength.
I am particularly proud of our efforts to make this technology accessible. Through our expanding network of CP PLUS Galaxy Stores, we are bringing certified surveillance to the core of Tier 3 and Tier 4 India. This is where the greatest impact lies. For us compliance translates into empowerment on the ground. It enables small businesses, local institutions and emerging infrastructure to adopt secure, reliable and truly Made-in-Bharat solutions.
For our partners, this creates a powerful value proposition. They’re not just future-compliant; they’re future-ready and future-defining. This empowers them to confidently engage across government projects, enterprise opportunities, critical infrastructure, and retail segments with unmatched credibility and confidence.
3. How did your organization go about becoming compliant with the Government of India’s STQC rules for CCTV cameras?
The STQC (Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification) framework, overseen by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is a highly rigorous evaluation system. It goes beyond basic checks, scrutinising every component, line of code, and transmission pathway to meet national security standards. From cybersecurity protocols and data integrity to hardware reliability and firmware transparency, the framework sets a high benchmark.
At CP PLUS, this wasn’t just a compliance exercise. It was a strategic journey. We re-engineered our products around the standards, ensuring secure data handling, strong encryption, and tightly controlled data flow. Our R&D teams worked tirelessly to align firmware structures with compliance while enhancing performance and resilience.
We knew that true compliance goes beyond product design. It must be reflected throughout the entire ecosystem. That’s why we strengthened our manufacturing and testing infrastructure in India, ensuring compliance throughout the product lifecycle, from development to deployment.
We’re proud of this effort’s outcome. It’s not just about certification; it’s about building a portfolio that represents India’s vision of trusted electronics. Secure by design, transparent by architecture, and future-ready by intent.
4. How do you see this shift impacting the overall CCTV and surveillance market and pricing in India over the next few years?
The shift towards STQC compliance will significantly impact the Indian surveillance market, establishing quality, security, and accountability as the primary value indicators.
In the short term, pricing may adjust as the industry shifts from cost-based imports to compliance-driven manufacturing. This is not inflation, but value correction. Customers will realise that secure, certified systems provide greater long-term benefits in reliability, data protection, and operational continuity.
This shift will spur India’s domestic manufacturing growth in the medium to long term. As scale increases and supply chains mature, we expect cost efficiencies, innovation-driven differentiation, and a competitive landscape driven by Indian ingenuity.
In India, the future of surveillance will be defined by trust, not price.
