Amazon and Flipkart are auditing internet-connected security camera listings after Reuters found hundreds of models being sold in India without Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification. Since April 2024, manufacturers must have surveillance camera hardware and software tested and certified by BIS. Platforms have removed at least a dozen unapproved listings, including some EZVIZ models, though hundreds remained online at the time of reporting. The issue raises national-security and marketplace moderation concerns for a $4.4 billion industry.
Amazon and Flipkart Audit Unlicensed Security Cameras After Reuters Finds Hundreds Of Unapproved Listings
An Imou Ranger S2 security camera, owned by China's Dahua, is for sale on Amazon's website in this picture illustration, in New Delhi, India, September 29, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/Illustration
Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart have begun auditing internet-connected security camera listings on their Indian marketplaces after a Reuters investigation found hundreds of models offered without mandatory certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
What the Platforms Are Doing
Both e-commerce giants are reviewing surveillance cameras sold by third-party merchants and brand pages on their sites, removing models that lack BIS approval, two people familiar with the checks told Reuters. Amazon declined to comment by email; Flipkart did not respond to Reuters' queries.
Scope Of The Problem
A Reuters analysis identified more than 700 of roughly 770 internet-enabled security camera listings on Amazon and Flipkart that did not appear on the BIS public database of approved brands or models. Since April 2024, manufacturers must submit hardware and software samples for BIS testing and certification before selling such equipment in India.
Why Regulators Acted
New Delhi tightened rules amid national-security concerns that sensitive footage could be transmitted overseas. Officials cited an April case in which Delhi police said a Pakistan-linked spying network used Chinese-made SIM-enabled CCTV cameras near military sites in northern India to stream live footage to handlers abroad.
An EZVIZ HB8-4G security camera, owned by China's Hikvision, is for sale on Amazon's website in this picture illustration, in New Delhi, India, September 29, 2026. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/Illustration
Notable Brands And Responses
At least a dozen listings have been removed since the platforms began checks, including two models from Hikvision's EZVIZ line that Amazon now shows as 'currently unavailable.' Hikvision and Zhejiang Dahua Technology together account for roughly 30% of India’s security camera market, according to Counterpoint Research.
Reuters found multiple unapproved Wi‑Fi camera models from Hikvision and Dahua on Amazon. It also identified dozens of listings from Indian brand Maizic Smarthomes; none of Maizic's 138 Wi‑Fi camera offerings on Amazon appeared on the BIS approval list. Maizic's co-founder Santosh Kumar Singh told Reuters the company had disabled remote Wi‑Fi streaming and limited devices to local connectivity until BIS approval is obtained.
Industry And Regulatory Reactions
Gulshan Rai, India's former cybersecurity chief, called the unauthorized sales a 'serious concern,' noting that 'a compromised camera can become both a surveillance risk and a cybersecurity entry point.' The BIS and several companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Broader Implications
Security cameras are widespread across India, powering an industry estimated at about $4.4 billion. The episode highlights responsibilities for online marketplaces to police listings for regulated or potentially sensitive products and the tension between fast-moving e-commerce ecosystems and national security rules.
Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Munsif Vengattil; Edited by Kate Mayberry.
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