Are India's EV chargers safe? How Chinese Components May Pose Cyber ​​Risks

Copyright © HT Digital Streams Limited All rights reserved. Trade data from Volza shows that 80-85% of EV charger components in India are imported from China, underscoring the extent of dependence. (AI-generated image) Summary Following a recent cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover, experts warn that imported Chinese parts could expose India’s fast-growing EV sector to serious cyber security threats. NEW DELHI: A recent cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which forced the carmaker to suspend operations at three of its UK facilities for nearly a month, has revived conversations about cyber security across the auto industry, including India’s fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. The renewed scrutiny comes as India prepares to spend ₹ 2,000 crore to install over 72,000 public EV charging stations under the PM E-Drive scheme by FY28. Industry executives and security experts warn that India’s reliance on Chinese-made components for EV chargers could leave vehicles and infrastructure vulnerable to cyber risks. The concern is compounded by a wider shift in China’s approach to the global EV supply chain. Since April, Beijing has imposed new export restrictions on lithium-ion batteries and rare-earth magnets — two essential components for EVs — and tightened controls on related technologies. These developments have forced Indian manufacturers to identify other weak spots in their EV ecosystem, including heavy reliance on imported electronic components for chargers. “As EV chargers evolve into connected, intelligent systems, cyber security has become as critical as electrical security,” said Anshuman Divyanshu, CEO of EVSE (EV Equipment Equipment) business, Exicom. “A charger today is not just a power device; it is a digital interface that talks to the vehicle, the network and the user’s application. The integrity of its hardware, firmware and data paths is therefore central to both the security and the trust that underpins the EV charging network.” Exicom, which manufactures chargers at its Gurugram facility, is setting up a new manufacturing unit in Hyderabad that it plans to commission by the end of 2025. China dominates the global EV charger supply chain, accounting for nearly 80% of all EV charger exports and between 50% and 80% of key data and 80% of power components, module and portal data. That dominance extends to India, where most EVSE manufacturers rely on imported connectors and chips to meet current demand. Given this heavy dependence, India has sought to boost domestic manufacturing through targeted policy interventions. Policy pressures and localization Under the PM E-Drive scheme, the government on September 26 notified detailed guidelines to expand India’s public EV charging infrastructure. The scheme will cover up to 80% of the cost of upstream infrastructure—such as power supply, cables and transformers—for chargers installed in cities and along highways. It will also subsidize 70% of the cost of the EVSE itself. For chargers set up on government premises, the government will bear 100% of both upstream infrastructure and EVSE costs. The PMP specifies 12 key components, including software systems, panels and loaders, aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing. Still, industry estimates suggest localization of the charging ecosystem has not exceeded 50%, prompting companies to seek relaxation from the government earlier this year as their participation remains nascent. Trade data from Volza shows that 80-85% of EV charger components in India are still imported from China, underscoring the extent of dependence. While the PMP requires chargers to be tested and approved by certified agencies, the government has yet to issue specific cybersecurity guidelines for EV chargers, leaving potential gaps in oversight. Growing risks Vehicle security specialists warn the risk lies in how these components communicate with the vehicle’s internal network. Connectors used in chargers can communicate with the vehicle using its internal vehicle network, said Shantanu Das, chief architect at Sasken Technologies, a vehicle cybersecurity service provider. “If you have Chinese equipment inside your charging infrastructure, it can interfere at some vulnerable points. It can replace the software of a critical ECU (electrical control unit) inside your vehicle, which is unintentional, and then it can behave very, very differently than the actual (original equipment manufacturer) OEM-equipped one,” Das said. An ECU controls most of an EV’s core functions, from powertrain management and battery features to diagnostics. A single compromised ECU, experts warn, can disrupt charging or data flow, and possibly even remotely disable a vehicle. “EVs need to be connected to chargers that have Chinese components. Sometimes Chinese electric vehicles cross our borders and use charging infrastructure facilities in India. Since there is complex software and hardware involved in the process, there is a data and information vulnerability,” said Sharif Qamar, associate director at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a non-profit think tank in another senior executive on the condition of anonymity said connections between the charger’s connector and the vehicle’s battery management system are particularly sensitive and EV manufacturers must decide how much information the battery management software can provide to the charging connector, the person said. While India has yet to see large-scale attacks, cyber security risks to EV chargers have been observed globally. In 2023, Electrify America saw some of its chargers hacked by vulnerabilities in the operating system, and Tesla’s wall chargers were compromised twice at the Pwn2Own Automotive 2025 competition in Tokyo, highlighting potential vulnerabilities in widely used EVSE systems. Inquiries to EV makers Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai Motor India, Kia Motor India and JSW MG Motor India on October 15 seeking comment went unanswered. Das said several OEMs have expressed concern and are now pushing for greater localization of critical parts to avoid potential recall costs. India EV Ecosystem India’s EV sector is expanding rapidly. Sales rose 17% to 1.9 million units in FY25, according to the government’s Vahan register. Market intelligence firm Mordor Intelligence estimates the domestic EV industry, currently valued at $137 billion, could grow to $203 billion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 8.2%. The increase in adoption makes the issue of charger security more pressing. Of the roughly 1.9 million vehicles sold in FY25, 4.8% (about 95,000) were electric cars, compared to 2.6% (about 100,000 cars) a year earlier. India currently has around 29,200 public EV chargers as of the end of August, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha. But for manufacturers, the road to localization remains slow. The PMP allows imports of certain loader components and parts up to a cut-off date to help build domestic capacity. But both software and hardware elements remain highly dependent on overseas suppliers. Using locally manufactured components helps manufacturers not only qualify for government incentives but also win business from charging point operators (CPOs), who are increasingly demanding safe, India-made systems. “Our chargers run on Exicom’s proprietary operating system, firmware and controller architecture, all developed in India, which gives us complete control over performance, protection and updates. Each layer is rigorously tested, encrypted and vetted to ensure that every connected node is secure by design. This is a strict rigor that few manufacturers follow, but one that we consider non-negotiable as another key operator as an increase of the charge in it. building a network that people can really trust,” said Exicom’s Divyanshu. With the government pushing to expand public charging infrastructure, India’s reliance on Chinese-made hardware poses a dual challenge — reducing costs while securing the backbone of its green mobility transition. The coming years, experts say, will test whether India can build a truly indigenous and cyber-secure EV ecosystem before the grid goes all-electric. Get all the automatic news and updates on Live Mint. Download the Mint News app to get daily market updates and live business news. more topics #Auto #electric vehicles #manufacturing Read next story