India’s Telecommunication Engineering Centre has issued updated Essential Requirements under the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment framework for IP Security Equipment. These requirements apply to a broad range of network security products and establish the technical, safety, and performance criteria manufacturers must meet before placing equipment on the Indian market.
The regulation forms part of the MTCTE certification scheme and is categorized under Product Fee Group C. It covers both standalone and integrated security solutions used in telecom and enterprise networks.
Scope of Covered Products
The Essential Requirements apply to all types of IP security equipment, including:
- Unified Threat Management equipment
- Firewalls, IDS, and IPS solutions
- DDoS protection and malware analysis systems
- Data loss prevention and content security appliances
Associated platforms such as network security management and analytics systems, whether managed or unmanaged, are also within scope. Each product category is treated as a specific variant under the regulation, with defined technical parameters and testing obligations.
Variant Based Technical Requirements
The regulation outlines 15 product variants, including content security equipment, DDoS protection equipment, firewall equipment, intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems, secure web gateways, and unified threat management platforms.
For each variant, the Essential Requirements specify:
- Functional performance tests such as IDS, IPS, DDoS protection at Layers 3, 4, and 7, SSL proxy, NAT, and policy enforcement tests
- IPv4 and IPv6 protocol compliance aligned with RFC standards
- Manageability requirements using SNMP v2 or v3, Netconf, and Yang protocols
- IT equipment safety compliance with IS 13252-1, IEC 60950-1, or IEC 62368-1
Firewall equipment, for example, must undergo IPSec functional testing, NAT validation, and policy functional testing in addition to EMI and safety requirements. DDoS protection equipment must demonstrate compliance with Layer 3, Layer 4, and Layer 7 mitigation testing protocols.
EMI EMC and Electrical Immunity Compliance
Across all variants, compliance with TEC EMI EMC standards is mandatory. This includes conducted and radiated emission limits in line with CISPR 32 and EN 55032, as well as immunity testing under EN or IEC 61000 series standards.
Immunity tests include resistance to electrostatic discharge, fast transients, surges, AC and DC voltage dips, and radiated RF disturbances. These requirements ensure network security devices remain operational and stable under electrical stress conditions typical in telecom environments.
Interface and Network Conformance
The Essential Requirements place significant emphasis on interface level conformity. Equipment must demonstrate compliance with IEEE 802.3 standards across multiple Ethernet speeds, including:
- 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G, 50G, 100G, 200G, and 400G optical Ethernet
- 10 100 1000 BASE-T Ethernet
Optical interface parameters such as average launch power, receiver sensitivity, and wavelength must align with the applicable IEEE clauses. For products supporting wireless or cellular connectivity, additional conformance is required under 3GPP technical specifications. These include 5G NR in both FR1 and FR2 bands, LTE or LTE-A, WCDMA or HSPA, GSM, CDMA, and WiFi radio conformance standards. Operating frequencies must align with India’s National Frequency Allocation Plan and applicable DoT WPC notifications.
WiFi interfaces must comply with ETSI or FCC radio standards, along with Indian EIRP and frequency usage conditions.
For this article’s source information and any product certification guidance, please contact Global Validity.
Quick Country Facts
India
Certification Body: Ministry of IT and Communications, Wireless Planning & Coordination Wing
Certification Type: Mandatory
License Validity: Indefinite
Application Language: English
Legal License Holder: Local Representative
In-Country Testing Requirement: Testing Not Required
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