Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) serves as the technical branch of the Department of Telecommunications and is responsible for developing standards and specifications for telecom goods, services, and networks. TEC plays a significant role in the Indian telecom ecosystem in order to enable the development of a top-notch telecom network and seamless integration of distinct networks by creating standards for the Indian telecommunications industry.

The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) released the ‘Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules’, which laid out the requirement for Mandatory Testing & Certification of Telecommunication Equipment (MTCTE) in India. The gazette stated that all IT and Telecom equipment that are connected or have the capability to be connected with Indian telecom network, intended to be sold, manufactured or imported in India need to comply with MTCTE regulations.

In accordance with this plan, TEC publishes standards known as Essential Requirements (ERs) for the relevant product lines and awards the certificate to products that meet the specifications outlined in the ERs. The products are required to be tested in accordance with safety, EMI EMC, technical, and security criteria. In four distinct phases, a total of 55 product categories were already notified under the regulation and said products can only be imported into India after receiving a valid registration certificate from TEC. A few more product categories are expected to be notified in upcoming phases.