By Zarak Khan | 2026-04-09

India is intensifying measures to limit the use of Chinese technology in critical sectors, as security considerations take on greater importance in policymaking.

Authorities in New Delhi have recently accelerated moves to reduce dependence on Chinese-origin systems, focusing on areas such as satellite communications and surveillance infrastructure.

The measures reflect a broader strategic recalibration following years of geopolitical tensions and growing unease over potential vulnerabilities embedded in foreign-supplied digital infrastructure.

Leaving Chinese satellites

India has effectively moved broadcasters off Chinese-linked satellite capacity, following informal but firm government guidance.

Satellite players such as Chinasat and ApStar have been at the center of the shift, as authorities tighten restrictions on Chinese-linked operators.

Starting April 1, New Delhi has barred such satellite operators from offering services in India. Officials are citing national security concerns.

"The Chinese-linked players won't be allowed to offer services in India given the sensitivity of the space sector," a source aware of the decision told The Economic Times.

AsiaSat, a Hong Kong-based satellite operator, has obtained a temporary three-month extension from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), the country's space industry regulator.

The extension applies only to "international TV channels having downlink-only permission and for the occasional usage i.e., (for) sporting events," the company said.

The crackdown comes after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting encouraged a shift toward approved alternatives.

IN-SPACe had earlier withdrawn permission for certain AsiaSat satellite capacities beyond March 31.

Broadcasters have largely completed the transition to domestic satellite systems and to Western providers such as Intelsat, a US company.

Thwarting potential surveillance

At the same time, India has expanded curbs on Chinese-made surveillance equipment, citing risks of data theft and unauthorized access.

India has effectively blocked Dahua and Hikvision, two partially state-owned Chinese companies providing closed circuit television (CCTV) and surveillance systems, from selling internet-connected CCTV cameras, after refusing certification for products made in China or using Chinese chipsets under new quality control rules, the Times of India reported April 1.

Domestic manufacturers, including CP Plus, Qubo, Prama, and Matrix, have moved quickly to fill the gap. They are relying on Taiwanese chipsets and localized software, the report added.

India is shifting policy while conducting a phased overhaul of surveillance infrastructure, beginning in the capital.

In New Delhi, officials estimate that more than half of the city's extensive CCTV infrastructure relies on Chinese-made equipment.

Of approximately 270,000 cameras installed by the Public Works Department, about 140,000 deployed in earlier phases are of Chinese origin, while more-recent installations exclude such components, the Times of India reported April 2.

Parvesh Verma, union minister, recently said that cameras sourced from the Chinese firm Hikvision will gradually be replaced in New Delhi, citing "concerns over surveillance and data security."

Officials and security analysts have repeatedly warned about vulnerabilities in connected surveillance devices from China.

India’s former cybersecurity chief, Gulshan Rai, has previously cautioned that internet-enabled cameras could be accessed remotely and "always [pose] an espionage risk."

"Anyone can operate and control internet-connected CCTV cameras from an adverse location. They need to be robust and secure," he told Reuters last year.

The government ban has reshaped consumer behavior.

Mukesh Ahirwar, a clerk at a surveillance equipment store in Nehru Place, a major information technology market in New Delhi, said consumers had previously viewed Chinese products as both affordable and reliable.

But since news of the government's ban, customers have increasingly sought out domestically manufactured cameras, with sales of Indian brands steadily rising, Ahirwar told Taiwan's Central News Agency April 8.

India's approach is consistent with actions taken by several Western countries to limit Chinese involvement in sensitive infrastructure.

Global pushback

These measures stem in part from concern that Chinese law could enable government access to data transmitted through domestic firms' technologies, experts said.

The United States in 2022 banned the sale of telecom and surveillance equipment from companies including Huawei, Hikvision and Dahua on national security grounds.

Britain and Australia have imposed similar restrictions on Chinese investment in sensitive critical infrastructure.

Washington has pursued a more proactive strategy by supporting the deployment of affordable smartphones powered by American software across the Indo-Pacific region, mainly to counterbalance China's growing influence over regional digital ecosystems.

Last June, Taiwan blacklisted two major Chinese tech companies, including Huawei, in a sharp policy turn that framed advanced chipmaking as a national security matter.

India has banned dozens of Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, on national security grounds.