India Restricts Chinese CCTV Makers, Boosts Domestic Manufacturers India’s government has implemented new regulations that effectively ban the use of Chinese-made CCTV cameras, marking a significant shift in the country’s security technology market. Effective April 1, 2026, the legislation mandates that all CCTV systems must comply with stringent safety and origin disclosure requirements, directly impacting companies like Hikvision and Dahua. This move has created a vacuum in the market, allowing Indian manufacturers to expand their presence and reshape the industry’s dynamics. The regulations, introduced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in April 2024, require manufacturers to disclose the origin of critical components such as the System-on-Chip (SoC) and undergo vulnerability checks to prevent unauthorized remote access. These norms also necessitate certification under the STQC (Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification) regime at accredited labs. As of February 2026, 507 CCTV camera models have been certified by the government, signaling a transition period that has lasted two years. Market data from Counterpoint Research reveals that Indian companies now dominate over 80% of the CCTV market, a stark contrast to the previous dominance of Chinese and global players. In 2024, Chinese firms held one-third of the market, while Indian vendors captured another third. Multinational brands like Bosch and Honeywell controlled the high-end segment, leaving the remaining 20% to smaller traders. However, the new rules have forced Chinese manufacturers to either alter their supply chains or exit the market entirely. Anup Nair, director of strategy and operations at Aditya Infotech (which owns the CP Plus brand), highlighted the challenges faced by Chinese firms.#india #china #meity #hikvision #dahua
SEBI Calls on Tech Firms to Combat Financial Influencers The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has urged technology companies to collaborate in curbing the influence of financial influencers, or "finfluencers," who often spread misleading information about investments. Chairperson Tuhin Kanta Pandey announced the initiative during an event in Mumbai on March 25, 2026, emphasizing the need for greater accountability in the digital space. As part of the effort, SEBI introduced a "tick mark" in partnership with Google. This verified badge will appear alongside apps of registered stockbrokers and other intermediaries on platforms like the Google Play Store. Pandey noted that the label has already been applied to over 600 apps and will be expanded to include other registered entities in the future. The measure aims to help investors distinguish legitimate financial services from unverified content. Pandey highlighted the growing trust investors place in finfluencers, citing a SEBI study that found 90% of investors find them credible. This poses a significant risk, as many finfluencers promote products or strategies without proper oversight. SEBI stressed the importance of identifying and removing fake apps swiftly, warning that downloading applications through external links rather than official app stores remains a vulnerability. The watchdog also mentioned ongoing efforts to address this risk, including the development of tools to monitor and block unauthorized distribution channels. Additionally, SEBI is working with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) and the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) to strengthen measures against financial fraud. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between these entities is currently in progress to enhance coordination and enforcement.#mumbai #google #sebi #meity #tuhin_kanta_pandey
MeitY setting up AI curation units across 50 key ministries The government is accelerating the creation of 50 artificial intelligence curation units across ministries and departments to process non-personal government data, extract high-value datasets, and integrate them with the IndiaAI Datasets Platform, known as AIKosh. Officials confirmed that the final 20 units will be established in the coming months. The initiative aims to consolidate fragmented data from various sectors, including health statistics, agricultural surveys, geospatial maps, logistics, demographics, and environmental data, to support AI modeling for innovative applications. An official from the electronics and IT ministry (MeitY) highlighted that the effort focuses on identifying and organizing data that is often scattered across different departments. This process is intended to make the data accessible for AI-driven analysis, enabling the development of tailored solutions for public services. The project, which was launched nearly two years ago, initially faced delays due to resistance from certain ministries that already have established systems for data collection and management. Officials noted that these ministries were hesitant to adopt the new framework, citing existing processes as a barrier to progress. The initiative underscores the government’s push to leverage AI for improving governance and service delivery. By centralizing and standardizing datasets, the curation units aim to enhance the efficiency of data utilization, reduce redundancy, and foster collaboration between ministries. The integration with AIKosh is expected to create a unified repository of structured data, which can then be used for predictive analytics, policy formulation, and operational optimization.#meity #ai_kosh #indiaai_datasets_platform #electronics_and_it_ministry #ai_curation_units
