In a sweeping enforcement drive, India’s Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued show-cause notices to six online marketplaces accused of peddling banned wireless transmitting devices like drone jammers and GPS disruptors. The Friday crackdown highlights escalating concerns over unregulated tech proliferation.
Named in the notices are Eversea, IndiaMart, Exboom, Javiet Aerospace, Airone Robotics, and Maverick Drones and Technologies Pvt Ltd. These platforms were openly advertising products such as ‘anti-drone systems’ and signal jammers, flouting the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and telecom laws.
Regulated by the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933, these devices require DoT and WPC licenses. Unauthorized sales and imports breach the Foreign Trade Act 1992, with approvals limited to authorized government bodies.
The CCPA has ordered the firms to submit comprehensive records: procurement origins, import documents, sales justifications, regulatory nods, and complete buyer logs from the last two years. Platforms must prove due diligence per E-commerce Rules 2020.
Past advisories from CCPA against jammer sales have gone unheeded, prompting this escalation. Penalties loom under telecom and trade laws for non-compliance.
As drones gain ubiquity in surveillance, agriculture, and delivery, this action fortifies regulatory barriers against misuse. It reassures consumers and businesses that India’s digital marketplace will prioritize safety and legality, curbing potential threats to aviation and communications infrastructure.