Walkie-talkie listings on e-commerce platforms under fire, govt issues advisory to regulate illegal sales

Walkie-talkie listings on E-Commerce platforms are under fire. The central government has issued guidelines to regulate the illegal sale of radio equipment online and address security issues. This crackdown comes in the wake of strengthening security arrangements across the country post-Operation Sindoor.

A press release issued on 30 May states, “The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, has notified Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025.”

As districts sharing a border with Pakistan prepare for Operation Shield mock drill, which is scheduled to take place on 31 May, the government is undertaking measures to curb the unauthorised sale of wireless devices online that may pose risks to consumer safety.

Guidelines for online sellers

It was observed that these wireless devices “mislead consumers regarding their legal position and interfere with critical communication networks, including those used by law enforcement and emergency services”.

E-Commerce Platforms and sellers are strictly required to comply with the advisory that states, “No radio equipment shall be listed or sold on e-commerce platforms if the possession or use of such equipment requires that a frequency assignment from the DOT shall be obtained by the buyer. Such equipment (licensed equipment) shall be purchased only from a dealer duly authorised by DOT (DPA holder) listed on the Saral Sanchar portal of DOT.”

Notably, the listing or sale of mobile signal boosters and wireless jammers online is illegal. Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, key regulatory and security concerns were raised that prompted the government to issue guidelines keeping in mind the safety of its citizens.

Walkie-talkie sellers are required to disclose necessary information on digital marketing platforms such as frequency bands on product description, “licensing obligations under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, or the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Use of Low Power, Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules”.

Only verified sellers with mandatory certification are allowed to sell these products. Non-compliance with these regulations and concealment of licensing information or Equipment Type Approval (ETA) can attract penalties and platform liability. Sellers must refrain from misleading advertisements or product descriptions, as a violation may attract penalties laid down under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.