Following increment of the apprehension about national security in wake of Operation Sindoor and India’s military action, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices against; The root cause of the action is lack of disclosure of relevant particulars about walkie-talkies sold on these platforms, which is a breach of consumer protection rules as well as an issue of national security consideration.
Walkie-talkies can be used in India but are severely monitored due to concerns over the interfering official collision of communications and nationals’ security. Illegal marketing and deployment of these devices can interfere with authorized usage of frequency and promote crime. The CCPA found out that a great deal of these platforms listed walkie-talkies with no essential details such as frequency range information and formal Equipment Type Approval from the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of
In emphasizing the crisis nature of the issue, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi highlighted the fact that sale of non-compliant wireless devices goes against the relevant laws as well as possibility for it to compromise national security efforts. These unlawful activities have occurred at the critical time for Operation Sindoor launched after the most tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam which claimed 26 lives. The Operation’s scope was dismantling camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir with top priority groups targets as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
CCPA through its survey found 467 listings through Amazon, 314 through Flipkart, and 489 through Meesho and other key online marketplaces, pointing to widespread These online marketplaces are experiencing heightened expectations from the ability to maintain current legal requirements, while raising their seller screening criteria. Authorities will be crafting new regulations that will focus on online sales by licensed wireless devices with the aim of improving consumer security and national security.
This issue throws the basic responsibility of e-commerce platforms to verify and ensure products offered via their channels into focus. Within the framework of the increasing digital marketplaces, it should be essential that the products posted on the platforms mentioned above follow legal and safety rules. In this event, the importance of such platforms in guarding not only consumer welfare but national security is established.
