Lok Sabha Question No. 3594 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-17
Subject: Stealing of Video Surveillance Data by Chinese CCTV Companies
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3594

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 17.03.2021

## STEALING OF VIDEO SERVEILLANCE DATA BY CHINESE CCTV COMPANIES

## 3594.   SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU:

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?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

- (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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