New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday announced a sharp reduction of up to 95 per cent in the security test evaluation fees for telecom and ICT products.

The security test evaluation fees, previously ranging from Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 3,50,000 depending on the equipment category, have now been drastically reduced.

Under the revised structure, fees for Group A equipment drop to Rs 10,000 from Rs 200,000, Group B to Rs 20,000 from Rs 200,000, Group C to Rs 30,000 from Rs 250,000, and Group D to Rs 50,000 from Rs 350,000.

This will significantly reduce the financial strain on telecom/ICT product manufacturers, including domestic players.

Effective from August 1, 2025, this revised fee structure under the Communication Security Certification Scheme (ComSec) is aimed at making the security certification process more affordable for domestic manufacturers especially MSMEs, according to a Ministry of Communications statement.

For Government R&D institutes, such as CDOT and CDAC, all security test evaluation fees are fully exempted for applications submitted for product certification until March 31, 2028, as part of a wider effort to encourage innovation in public sector research.

The DoT said it has also simplified the security testing and compliance process for Highly Specialized Equipment (HSE) and End-of-Sale/End-of-Life telecom products.

Currently, products like IP Routers, Wi-Fi CPEs, and 5G Core SMF are under mandatory security testing, while Optical Line Terminals and Optical Networking Terminals are subject to voluntary security certification, with fee exemptions applicable until August 31, 2025.

The National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS), under DoT, has been mandated to implement security testing and certification under this scheme. As per the updated framework, OEMs, importers, and dealers who wish to sell, import, or use telecom equipment in India must ensure their products undergo security testing and certification under the ComSec scheme.

For security testing and certification of telecom/ICT equipment under ComSec scheme, OEMs/Importers/Dealers are charged with security test evaluation fee.

This fee reduction is expected to bolster the competitiveness of Indian telecom manufacturers, stimulate local innovation, and provide a more straightforward pathway to market entry for both domestic and international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

–IANS

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