New Delhi: More than half of the capital’s CCTV surveillance network comprises Chinese-origin cameras, prompting Delhi govt to plan their phased removal citing national security concerns.Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma said on Wednesday that the cameras sourced from Chinese firm Hikvision will gradually be replaced across the city.Delhi currently has over 2.7 lakh CCTV cameras, all installed by PWD. Of these, 1.4 lakh cameras put up in phase-1 between Sept 2020 and Nov 2022 are Chinese-made, while the rest, installed in phase 2 (June 2025 to March 2026) are not of Chinese origin.Flagging concerns over surveillance and data security, Verma said the decision to install Chinese cameras raises serious questions. “AAP installed these cameras without thinking about long-term security implications. Surveillance infrastructure is not just about visibility, it is about control over sensitive data,” he said.“This was not a routine procurement decision. When you deploy such systems across an entire city, you are making a national security choice. Unfortunately, AAP failed to recognise that,” he added.Initially, 50,000 Chinese cameras have been approved for replacement, a senior official said, adding that efforts will also be made to rationalise and upgrade the overall surveillance network in the city.Verma said, “We will gradually replace the cameras with secure, trusted and updated systems that meet current technical standards, offer better data security and are supported by a robust supply and service ecosystem.”He added that the transition will be carried out in phases to ensure there is no disruption in surveillance.Drawing a contrast between the previous AAP dispensation and the current BJP govt, Verma said, “For them, it was about numbers and publicity. For us, it is about security, accountability and protecting Delhi’s citizens without any compromise”.An AAP functionary responded, “Hikvision cameras are already deployed across multiple central govt projects, including the metro, that are critical to public safety. If there are genuine national security concerns associated with these cameras, why has the Centre not imposed a comprehensive ban on their use across India? This selective alarm raises serious questions. It appears less about security and more about creating a convenient pretext to phase out existing systems and award fresh contracts to a favoured company.”There was no ban on buying China-made CCTV cameras at the time the Hikvision cameras were procured. New central govt guidelines specify no new procurement of such cameras should be made from Chinese firms and that Chinese video surveillance companies will be effectively barred from selling internet-connected CCTV cameras in India.
