India's Consumer Watchdog Cracks Down on Illegal Walkie-Talkie Sales

India's Central Consumer Protection Authority has launched a sweeping enforcement action against e-commerce giants for facilitating the unauthorised sale of walkie-talkies, imposing fines totalling Rs. 44 lakh, and introducing stringent new guidelines to regulate the online radio equipment market. The crackdown follows months of warnings about national security risks amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions.

From Warning to Action: Eight-Month Enforcement Timeline

The current penalties represent the culmination of regulatory efforts that began in May 2025, when the CCPA first issued notices to 13 e-commerce platforms amid escalating border tensions between India and Pakistan. At that time, authorities identified 467 listings on Amazon, 314 on Flipkart, 489 on Meesho, and 423 on TradeIndia, prompting initial warnings about national security implications. Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had emphasised that selling non-compliant wireless devices could pose significant risks to national security operations during the military conflict.

The regulatory crackdown has now exposed alarming levels of continued non-compliance across India's e-commerce sector. Authorities identified more than 16,900 illegal product listings for personal mobile radios operating outside approved frequency bands and lacking mandatory Equipment Type Approval certification. Major platforms including Amazon, Flipkart, Meta Platforms (operating Facebook Marketplace), and Meesho each received the maximum penalty of Rs. 10 lakh, whilst smaller operators JioMart, Chimiya, Talk Pro, and MaskMan Toys were fined Rs. 1 lakh apiece.

The investigation revealed extensive violations. Flipkart reported sales of 65,931 units with missing or incorrect frequency data, Amazon sold 2,602 non-compliant units between January 2023 and May 2025, and Meesho facilitated 2,209 units through a single vendor with inadequate disclosure. Many devices were falsely advertised as "licence-free" or "100 per cent legal," misleading consumers and potentially exposing them to legal jeopardy. The CCPA emphasised that numerous walkie-talkies operate on restricted UHF bands reserved for police and emergency services, creating significant risks to public safety and national security during geopolitically sensitive periods.

New Framework Establishes Platform Accountability

In response to these violations, the CCPA has issued the Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie-Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025. Developed in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications and Ministry of Home Affairs, these regulations mandate strict verification, certification, and monitoring protocols. Critically, the authority rejected platforms' claims of intermediary status, holding them directly accountable for compliance failures.

Manoj Kottil, Chief Operating Officer at Arya Omnitalk, which serves over 70,000 subscribers across 18 Indian cities, welcomed the enforcement action. "The Central Consumer Protection Authority's action against the sale of unlawful tampered walkie-talkies is a timely and necessary step," he stated. "Wireless devices use regulated spectrum. When sold or used without proper authorisation, they can interfere with crucial communication networks for businesses, emergency services, and essential infrastructure providers." He highlighted that many users fail to realise these devices violate regulatory guidelines, exposing organisations to legal and operational consequences. Arya Omnitalk is now offering a free audit programme to help organisations ensure compliance with the new regulations.

The CCPA's action underscores growing recognition that digital marketplaces must exercise due diligence in preventing the sale of non-compliant telecommunications equipment. As wireless communication technology becomes increasingly vital across logistics, manufacturing, aviation, and public safety sectors, regulatory compliance has become essential not merely for legal protection but for maintaining the integrity and security of India's communications infrastructure during both peacetime and periods of heightened security concerns.