The Cellular Operators Association of India applauds the recognition given to STQC, India (Standardization Testing and Quality Certification) for receiving the internationally recognized “Common Criteria – Recognition Arrangement” (CC-RA). This means that India, through STQC, has now been authorized to certify independent Testing labs in India that wish to certify IT Equipment for compliance with global “common criteria” standards. This has been achieved after a lot of dedicated work by the STQC and Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Government of India, working in close cooperation with COAI members.
The Common Criteria is the driving force for the widest available mutual recognition of secure IT products. India has been working to ensure that security evaluations of ICT products are performed to consistent, globally-acceptable security standards like Common Criteria (CC) – an ISO Standard, and certifications that are mutually acceptable globally under CCRA. Internationally, the CC framework is managed and operated through a CCRA. Presently, 26 member countries are part of this arrangement including US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, etc.
STQC, an attached office of DeitY, represented India as a member of the CCRA and the Indian CC Certification Scheme (IC3S) being operated by them with a lab at Kolkata. After the completion of the CCRA audit of the Indian Scheme India has now become an “authorizing” nation from a “consuming” nation. The final result of audit has been approved by the CC management at the ICCC 2013 conference being held at Orlando, Florida. This will enable India to join the league of a select group of nations that have been accorded the CCRA status of this internationally recognised security regime under the CC programme.
This will enable the STQC to accredit Indian Labs with the CC Test Lab (CCTL) status. The new labs in public/ private sector would be able to approach Indian CC Scheme STQC, for the purposes of testing/ evaluation.
COAI welcomes this achievement and is proud to be associated with the initiative. Mr. Rajan S Mathews, Director General, COAI said, “This achievement of the Government in getting the CCRA status to STQC is welcomed by the industry. While we have much distance to cover in this domain, this now opens the way for Indian companies to set up Test facilities that are internationally competitive both in quality and cost. We will be working closely with the Government in furthering the establishment of these laboratories.
