India has reportedly banned the use of low-priced Chinese-made high-speed cameras at toll plazas on highways due to concerns about potential security risks. The move is prompting India to consider suppliers from the United States, Germany, and Taiwan as alternatives.
According to sources, Indian officials have been instructed to avoid importing sensitive technology from China and are beginning to replace the Chinese-made cameras already installed. As discussions on this matter are considered internal affairs, the sources have requested to remain anonymous.
India is opting for cameras that do not require vehicles to slow down at toll plazas to ensure smoother and faster traffic flow.
It is said that India has selected three companies – one from Taiwan, one from Germany, and one from the United States – to procure video equipment for around 1150 toll plazas under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Sources revealed that the designated suppliers include VIVOTEK, a subsidiary of Delta Electronics from Taiwan, the German industrial component manufacturer Robert Bosch, and the American company Motorola.
When approached for comment by Bloomberg, neither the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI, nor the Ministry of Information Technology responded.
Although the cameras offered by these suppliers are more expensive than those of their Chinese competitors, the Indian government is concerned that Chinese equipment, in whole or in part, could be used for foreign intelligence gathering, especially during military conflicts.
Prior to this, India had started replacing 140,000 Chinese-made cameras in the capital city of Delhi from April 1, with the initial replacement of 50,000 units. The involved Chinese companies include Hikvision, Dahua, and TP-Link selling internet-connected closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
In recent years, many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have expressed worries that the Chinese Communist Party might exploit Chinese companies for covert technology surveillance.
Sources disclosed that the Indian Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) is responsible for approving equipment entering India, including cameras.
Additionally, STQC is conducting tests on cameras at toll plazas, CCTV monitoring systems, and other devices deployed by government departments to ascertain their sources, only permitting products that do not contain crucial Chinese components.