Centre takes action on e-com platforms delivering Chinese walkie-talkies
The Statesman | 13 August 2025
The Centre, as part of its security measures and to curb unauthorised trade practices, has taken serious note of the indiscriminate home delivery of Chinese walkie-talkie devices by some e-commerce platforms. Notices have been issued to more than a dozen such operators for the illegal dispatch of these prohibited articles to consumers.
The move follows complaints from Kolkata-based amateur radio operators of the West Bengal Radio Club about a sudden rise in ‘unauthorised band frequency’ users in the city and its suburbs. “Mostly, such users encroach upon frequencies reserved exclusively for the police and emergency services by using these illegal Chinese sets,” said Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary of the Radio Club. He added: “Indiscriminate use of these prohibited sets hampers our operations from time to time. We first brought the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister’s Office on 31 October 2019, followed by successive communications, which have finally yielded some effective outcomes.”
Consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi recently highlighted the Centre’s decisive actions against the secret procurement of such Chinese walkie-talkies. In a statement on his X handle, Joshi said: “The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated action against the listing and sale of walkie-talkie devices on e-commerce platforms that lack: Proper disclosure of operating frequencies, Licensing information, and Equipment Type Approval (ETA).
Most of the Chinese sets delivered to customers lack these essential parameters. Joshi further stated: “The absence of such critical information constitutes a violation of multiple laws, including the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Use of Low Power, Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2018.”
According to senior BSNL officials, the sale of non-compliant wireless devices “not only breaches statutory obligations but may also pose significant risks to national security operations” — a point later endorsed by minister Joshi.
Licence-free walkie-talkies generally operate either in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band (300 MHz to 3 GHz) or the Very High Frequency (VHF) band (30 MHz to 300 MHz). HAM operators say these devices often use UHF frequencies around 446 MHz. VHF frequencies between 136–174 MHz are reserved exclusively for police use, while some police communications also utilise High Frequency (HF) bands (3–30 MHz) for long-distance transmission.
In addition, the 700 MHz band is reserved for the dedicated use of Indian Railways, as stipulated in the National Communication Standard 2020.
While Chinese walkie-talkie devices used in the Public Radio Service primarily operate in the declared 409 MHz band, state wireless systems have detected them occasionally interfering with restricted domains.
Given the seriousness of the issue, the CCPA has issued specific guidelines under Section 18(2)(l) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, aimed at ensuring legal compliance and safeguarding the integrity of the digital marketplace.
The Radio Club provides training on the country’s radio rules and regulations. HAM operators such as Nag Biswas fear that the unchecked proliferation of unauthorised Chinese sets could ‘rob’ signals and sensitive information, potentially jeopardising national security.
The Centre has now issued notices to 13 e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, OLX, Facebook, Meesho and IndiaMART.