Centre issues guidelines to curb illegal sale of walkie-talkies on e-commerce platforms

The Central government today issued a fresh set of guidelines aimed at preventing the illegal listing and sale of radio equipment, including walkie-talkies, on e-commerce platforms. The move comes after the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) flagged thousands of unauthorised listings and raised concerns over consumer safety and possible interference with sensitive communication networks.

The Guidelines for the Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Listing and Sale of Radio Equipment including Walkie Talkies on E-Commerce Platforms, 2025 were notified by the CCPA, which functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. The rules were finalised after inter-ministerial consultations with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), incorporating key security and regulatory inputs from both.

According to the government, many of these devices were being sold online without basic disclosures — such as whether a licence was required for use, the specific frequency bands the devices operated on, and whether they had received necessary regulatory approvals like Equipment Type Approval (ETA).

“It was observed that Walkie-talkies are being sold on e-commerce platforms without mandatory and clear disclosures regarding the requirement of a wireless operating license or compliance with applicable laws,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry also observed that the product listings for walkie-talkies do not specify whether the device requires a license from the concerned authority for use.

“The omission of details such as frequency range, 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, 2018 and the potential legal consequences of unauthorized use, misleads consumers into believing that the devices are freely operable by the general public,” the Ministry added.

The new guidelines now make it mandatory for sellers to list only those devices that are authorised and compliant with Indian regulations. Each listing must specify the frequency range, include proof of regulatory approvals, and clearly mention whether a licence is needed for use. E-commerce platforms have been directed to verify these details and delist products that fail to comply.

Platforms must also prohibit any misleading product descriptions or advertisements that suggest the devices are legal for unrestricted public use. Sellers, meanwhile, must ensure that the products do not operate on frequencies that require prior authorisation from the DoT.

Violations of these guidelines will attract penalties under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The Centre has also asked online platforms to introduce automated monitoring and takedown mechanisms to ensure compliance going forward.