Meta, Amazon and Flipkart have been fined ₹10 lakh by India’s CCPA for selling unauthorised walkie-talkies and personal mobile radios (PMRs) on their platforms. The action was taken after the authorities found widespread violations of consumer protection and telecom rules.
The CCPA initiated suo motu proceedings after identifying more than 16,970 non-compliant listings of walkie-talkies being sold online. These devices were found to be listed and sold without meeting mandatory legal and technical requirements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and India’s telecom regulations.
Notices were issued to several online platforms, including Meta (Facebook Marketplace), Amazon and Flipkart, seeking explanations for the violations.
Under Indian regulations, only walkie-talkies operating strictly within the 446.0–446.2 MHz frequency band are exempt from licensing. Even for these devices, sellers must obtain Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification before importing or selling them.
The CCPA found that many listings on Amazon, Flipkart and Meta’s platforms either did not disclose frequency details, operated outside the permitted band, or lacked ETA certification. Some devices were advertised as “licence-free” or “100% legal” despite failing to meet these requirements.
The investigation revealed significant volumes of non-compliant sales. Flipkart recorded sales of over 65,000 units where frequency information was missing or outside the allowed range. Amazon sold 2,602 units between January 2023 and May 2025, with hundreds of listings lacking proper certification details. On Meta’s Facebook Marketplace, 710 listings were removed following regulatory intervention.
Meta, Amazon and Flipkart argued that they were merely intermediaries hosting third-party sellers. However, the authority rejected this defence, stating that intermediary protections apply only when platforms exercise due diligence.
The CCPA held that allowing listings without mandatory statutory disclosures amounted to a failure of responsibility, making the platforms liable under consumer protection law.
The authority warned that unauthorised radio devices could interfere with communication networks used by law enforcement, disaster response teams and emergency services, posing risks to public order and national security.
Read more: Flipkart Appoints Senior Compliance Officer Ahead of Listing Plans.
The ₹10 lakh fines on Meta, Amazon and Flipkart underline the growing regulatory expectation that e-commerce platforms actively monitor and verify product compliance. The case serves as a reminder that platforms cannot rely solely on intermediary status when consumer safety and national security concerns are involved.
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Published on: Jan 16, 2026, 3:12 PM IST
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