US Raises Regulatory Issues in India’s Telecom Certification Scheme

New Delhi, Apr 2 (KNN) Certification Scheme (ComSec) in its 2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade BarriersThe United States has strongly opposed India’s Communication Security.

Released on Tuesday, the report highlights regulatory challenges and costs imposed by India’s telecom testing requirements.

ComSec, implemented in 2023, mandates that telecom equipment like routers, switches, and firewalls meet India’s Telecom Security Assurance Requirements.

The US argues that these regulations, requiring testing at designated Indian Telecom Security Testing Laboratories (TSTLs), are restrictive and burdensome for global manufacturers.

“In addition to mandating testing to an outdated and country-specific standard through a limited number of approved laboratories, India requires manufacturers to disclose proprietary information such as source code or internal test results,” the US Trade Representative (USTR) stated in the report.

The US has also reiterated its opposition to the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE), a program that has expanded since 2019 to require in-country security testing for 175 types of telecom products.

US trade officials have urged India to recognize internationally accredited labs and harmonise testing and certification standards with global practices.

The US wants India to accept test results from International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)-accredited labs, which ensures global acceptance of test and calibration results.

Additionally, the report criticised India’s Compulsory Registration Order by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity).

This regulation, in place since 2014, requires domestic testing for electronic products even if they have international certifications.

The US continues to raise these concerns in bilateral and multilateral trade discussions, including at the World Trade Organization, urging India to ease regulatory barriers and adopt international standards.

(KNN Bureau)