New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday announced a sharp reduction of up to 95% in the security test evaluation fees for telecom and ICT products. Previously, these fees ranged from Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 3,50,000 depending on the equipment category, but have now been drastically reduced.
Under the revised structure, the fee for Group A equipment has been reduced to Rs 10,000 from ₹2,00,000; for Group B to Rs 20,000 from Rs 2,00,000; for Group C to Rs 30,000 from Rs 2,50,000; and for Group D to Rs 50,000 from Rs 3,50,000. This move will significantly ease the financial burden on telecom and ICT product manufacturers, especially domestic players.
Effective from August 1, 2025, this revised fee structure under the Communication Security Certification Scheme (ComSec) aims to make the security certification process more affordable for domestic manufacturers, particularly MSMEs, according to a statement from the Ministry of Communications.
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. This is part of a broader initiative to encourage innovation in public sector research.
The DoT also announced simplification of the security testing and compliance process for Highly Specialized Equipment (HSE) and End-of-Sale/End-of-Life telecom products. Currently, products such as IP routers, Wi-Fi CPEs, and 5G Core SMFs are subject to mandatory security testing, while Optical Line Terminals and Optical Networking Terminals fall under voluntary security certification, with fee exemptions valid until August 31, 2025.
The National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS), under the DoT, has been mandated to implement security testing and certification under this scheme. According to the updated framework, OEMs, importers, and dealers who intend to sell, import, or use telecom equipment in India must ensure their products undergo security testing and certification under the ComSec scheme. For this purpose, security test evaluation fees are applicable.
This fee reduction is expected to boost the competitiveness of Indian telecom manufacturers, stimulate local innovation, and provide a more streamlined pathway to market entry for both domestic and international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
