India’s Surveillance Crisis: Strategic Exposure to Chinese Intelligence

Reading Time: 2 minutes India is facing a profound national security dilemma resulting from extensive Chinese penetration of its surveillance infrastructure. Despite regulatory attempts to mitigate this threat, the reality remains stark: Beijing has achieved a significant degree of persistent, real-time visibility into India’s government, corporate, and civilian environments. This article outlines the scale of the crisis, technological limitations hindering mitigation, and the implications for regional intelligence dynamics. Chinese Dominance in Surveillance Infrastructure As of 2025, Chinese firms such as Hikvision and Dahua maintain control over approximately 40% of India’s surveillance camera market. These companies supply a wide range of CCTV and IoT-enabled devices deployed across government facilities, public infrastructure, corporate campuses, and residential properties. Their equipment forms the backbone of India’s $3.5 billion surveillance market, projected to double by 2030. The concern is not only commercial dominance but also the strategic misuse of this infrastructure. Indian intelligence sources confirm