In yet another move to enhance the ease of doing business and ensure business continuity for the industry, the National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) under the Department of Telecommunications, Govt. of India, has extended the validity of the Pro Tem Security Certification from the current 6 months to 2 years.
The Pro Tem Certification, with a validity of 6 months, was introduced in October 2024 to help the industry avoid disruption in business processes for IP Router and Wi-Fi CPE products, which otherwise were mandatory to be security certified starting October 1, 2024. Under the Pro Tem certification, OEMs submit a declaration of conformance, stating that their equipment complies with most of the security requirements for applicable IP Router and Wi-Fi CPE products as per the Indian Telecommunication Security Assurance Requirements (ITSAR). Simultaneously, the equipment is offered to the Telecom Security Testing Lab (TSTL) for testing. OEMs also submit an undertaking to address any shortfalls identified during the testing within the validity of the certificate. The scope of the Pro Tem certification has been further extended to cover 5G Core SMF, Optical Line Terminal, Optical Networking Terminal, and new product launches.
To date, NCCS has issued 102 Pro Tem certificates, which have facilitated the continuity of business processes for OEMs without any disruption. Extending the validity of the Pro Tem certificate to 2 years will ease the pressure on the industry regarding frequent renewals.
In July 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced a sharp reduction of up to 95% in the security test evaluation fees for telecom and ICT products. The DoT has also simplified the security testing and compliance process for Highly Specialized Equipment (HSE) and End-of-Sale/End-of-Life telecom products. These moves signal the government's resolve to enable ease of doing business for both domestic and international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the telecom/ICT sectors.
Background
The National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS), under the DoT, has been mandated to implement security testing and certification under the ComSec 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 scheme. This scheme falls under the broader Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) framework, first notified in September 2017 and subsequently superseded by the Telecommunications (Framework to Notify Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Certification) Rules, 2025.
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MI/ARJ