Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia recently announced a set of strategic reforms aimed at strengthening India’s telecom security ecosystem while significantly reducing compliance costs for the industry.

The reforms, implemented by the Department of Telecommunications through the National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS), include extension of the Pro Tem Security Certification Scheme, reduction in application fees for Telecom Security Testing Laboratories (TSTLs), and simplification of security certification for Optical Network Terminator (ONT) devices. The initiatives align with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and the ‘Design in India, Solve in India, Scale for the World’ approach.

The Pro Tem Security Certification Scheme has been extended for two years from 01 January 2026 to support business continuity for IP routers, Wi-Fi CPEs and additional product categories, including 5G core functions and optical equipment. Since its introduction in October 2024, the scheme has enabled OEMs to continue product deployments while undergoing full security testing.

To strengthen the telecom security testing ecosystem, NCCS has also reduced TSTL designation application fees by more than 50 per cent, introduced simplified fee structures and extended concessions for startups, micro and small enterprises, women-owned enterprises, and government institutions.

In another move to ease compliance, the ITSAR certification process for ONT devices has been streamlined by grouping customised variants under a single certification procedure. This is expected to cut testing cases by nearly ten times, providing substantial cost relief to manufacturers ahead of mandatory certification from 01 January 2026.

Together, the reforms are expected to enhance national telecom security, promote indigenous testing infrastructure, and reinforce India’s position as a trusted global hub for telecom manufacturing and security assurance.