Government scared of Chinese goods! After CCTV, now smart meter-PC will also be checked first

New Delhi : The Indian government is ready to keep a close watch on the goods coming from China. Just as Israel took action against Hezbollah by taking advantage of the shortcomings in the pager supply chain. After that incident, the Indian government has become very alert. This is why the Center has planned to get items like smart meters, parking sensors, drone parts and laptop-desktops checked from ‘reliable sources’. These electric devices can be brought under the mandatory requirement of testing from trusted sources. Earlier, a similar step was taken by the government in the case of CCTV also.

Government alert regarding Chinese goods

The government aims to keep a close eye on the goods that are part of the Internet of Things (IoT). There is a fear that companies and agencies across India’s northern border may get important data from these devices. In such a situation, after discovering flaws in the security system of surveillance cameras, the government has now made it mandatory to check the cameras. For this, necessary certificate will have to be obtained from the prescribed lab. Apart from this, some specific parts will also have to undergo certification by agencies. Only after that Indian or other manufacturers will be able to use them.

Preparation to bring ‘System on a Chip’ under investigation

The ‘System on a Chip’ or SoC is also under scrutiny. It is an integrated circuit (IC) that contains most of the components of an electronic system on a single chip. A source said that our aim is to create a reliable supply chain for electronic goods as we do not want any weak link. Which foreign companies can take advantage of. Especially when there is a hostile neighborhood around us.

This is the plan of the central government

The government was earlier trying to stop imports from China by erecting a tariff wall, but now it has started emphasizing on technical standards. This is because there are limitations on the government imposing tariffs under the WTO’s IT Agreement-I (ITAI). Additionally, Chinese companies produce cheaper equipment and can capture the market even by overcoming the high tariff wall.

Just as the mandatory standards for CCTV were first implemented for government procurement and then implemented in the retail market as well. Similarly, the same strategy can be adopted in other areas also. This will give Indian sellers time to prepare for the change and develop the necessary supply chains to ensure compliance with standards.

Last year, the PC and laptop industry had protested against government control on imports. Their argument was that this would reduce supply and increase prices, which would affect consumers. However, the government believes that bringing changes gradually would be more beneficial.