Please click here to download the Prism as a PDF.
Central Electricity Authority issues report on the trajectory of indigenisation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems
The Central Electricity Authority (“CEA”) has issued the Report of the Committee on Formulation of Trajectory of Indigenisation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (“SCADA”) System (July 2026) (“Report”). The Report sets out a financial year-wise trajectory for the indigenous development of software modules and hardware components of SCADA systems used in the power sector. The Report marks the first concrete timeline for replacing imported grid control systems with domestic alternatives, and signals that reliability, cybersecurity and procurement strategies in the power sector will need to be rebuilt around indigenous technology well before 2030.
Background
CEA has issued the Report in furtherance of the following:
- On December 3, 2025, the sectoral review meeting of the Prime Minister identified the indigenisation of SCADA systems, which are presently imported, as an important action point for enhancing self-reliance and cyber-resilience of the power system.
- On December 12, 2025, the Ministry of Power (“MoP”) conveyed the decision of the Secretary (Power) that SCADA systems are not to be imported beyond 2030. In this regard, the MoP requested CEA to suggest a trajectory for SCADA indigenisation after consulting the concerned stakeholders.
- On December 16, 2025, a Committee (“Committee”) was constituted under the chairmanship of the Member (Planning), CEA, with representatives from CEA, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the State Load Despatch Centres (“SLDCs”) of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, POWERGRID, Grid India, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (“C-DAC”) and the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association, to formulate the indigenisation trajectory and submit a report with actionable recommendations to MoP within 1 (one) month.
Recommendations of the Committee
The Report prescribes a financial year-wise trajectory, in terms of the list shared by Grid India, for:
- 38 (thirty-eight) software modules; and
- 25 (twenty-five) hardware components.
The indigenisation timelines prescribed are as under:
| S. No. | Item Description | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
| For Software Modules | ||||
| 1. | SCADA | ✓ | ||
| 2. | Inter control center communication protocol | ✓ | ||
| 3. | Communication front end | ✓ | ||
| 4. | Historian (Information Storage and retrieval) system along-with graphical user interface as per technical specifications requirement of historian. | ✓ | ||
| 5. | Web server application – software for data replica | ✓ | ||
| 6. | Web server application – software for web server | ✓ | ||
| 7. | Web server application – Web historian and reporting system | ✓ | ||
| 8. | Short message service and email interface | ✓ | ||
| 9. | Energy Management System (“EMS”) functions – State estimator | ✓ | ||
| 10. | EMS functions- contingency analysis | ✓ | ||
| 11. | EMS functions – security enhancement | ✓ | ||
| 12. | EMS functions – optimal power flow | ✓ | ||
| 13. | EMS functions – short circuit analysis | ✓ | ||
| 14. | EMS functions – automatic generation control | ✓ | ||
| 15. | EMS functions – transmission line/corridor capability monitor | ✓ | ||
| 16. | EMS functions – outage scheduler | ✓ | ||
| 17. | Dynamic security assessment software (at Regional Load Despatch Centres (“RLDC”) only) | ✓ | ||
| 18. | Dispatcher training simulator | ✓ | ||
| 19. | Identity management software | ✓ | ||
| 20. | Network access control | ✓ | ||
| 21. | Patch management software | ✓ | ||
| 22. | Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing tool | ✓ | ||
| 23. | Host based intrusion prevention system with centrailised management | ✓ | ||
| 24. | End point security solution with centralised management | ✓ | ||
| 25. | Centralised management and log analyser of all FWs | ✓ | ||
| * Virtualisation software is excluded from the trajectory on the ground that it is commercial off-the-shelf software with no commercial viability for domestic development. | ||||
| For Hardware Components | ||||
| 1. | Servers for various applications supplied under SCADA project | ✓ | ||
| 2. | Wide area network router cum firewall for external connectivity | ✓ | ||
| 3. | Data concentrator PC at designated location as per Volume-II TS – industrial trade computer | ✓ | ||
| 4. | Time and frequency system NavIC (with failback to GPS) Based | ✓ | ||
| 5. | Digital display for date/day/time/frequency etc | ✓ | ||
| 6. | 48 Port L3- LAN switch for SCADA/EMS Local Area Network (“LAN”) | ✓ | ||
| 7. | 12 Port L3- LAN switch for external demilitarised zone LAN | ✓ | ||
| 8. | Server management console | ✓ | ||
| 9. | Backup solution | ✓ | ||
| 10. | Storage system – Storage Area Network (“SAN”) system | ✓ | ||
| 11. | Storage system – network attached storage system | ✓ | ||
| 12. | Smart server rack | ✓ | ||
| 13. | Cyber security appliances – firewall with network intrusion prevention system and centralised management | ✓ | ||
| 14. | Cyber security appliances – anti-advanced persistent threat | ✓ | ||
| 15. | Cyber security appliances – remote diagnostic tool | ✓ | ||
| 16. | 24 port fibre channels switch for SAN storage | ✓ | ||
| 17. | Workstation consoles | ✓ | ||
| 18. | Video projection system (red, green, blue laser) (with each module of 70″ (6*4)) | ✓ | ||
| 19. | 55-inch video wall with central processing unit (wall/floor mount with stand) | ✓ | ||
| 20. | Color laser printer/black and white printer | ✓ | ||
| 21. | Link load balancer | ✓ | ||
| 22. | internet protocol-based keyboard, video and mouse system | ✓ | ||
| 23. | Centralised keyboard and mouse control solution | ✓ | ||
| 24. | External solid State drive – 4 TB | ✓ | ||
| 25. | Laptop for maintenance | ✓ | ||
With respect to the way forward, the Committee has recommended the following follow-up actions to achieve the above timelines:
- Institutional framework: A national SCADA mission or a specialised working group may be constituted under the guidance of MoP and CEA. The Committee has recorded divergent views on which of the 2 (two) options is preferable and has left the choice to MoP.
- Development model: Development and integration of all SCADA system components may be undertaken either on a nomination basis or through a collaboration or consortium model. Under the nomination model, a Government public sector undertaking with experience in SCADA development, such as C-DAC, may be nominated. Under the collaboration or consortium model, POWERGRID or Grid India may initiate an expression of interest process within 1 (one) year.
- Testing: The Government must fund and establish, within 2 (two) years, a platform for testing indigenous SCADA modules by simulation of operating conditions and for testing cybersecurity aspects. The SLDCs, the RLDCs and the National Load Despatch Centre (“NLDC”) must take up pilot projects for real-time field testing in parallel with existing systems. The SLDC, Odisha has volunteered to provide a testing environment.
- Dedicated team: The module developers may initially support the development of the indigenous SCADA system. Thereafter, Grid India may form a dedicated team for future project management/upgradation.
- Funding: The Government financial support will be necessary, and the Power System Development Fund may serve as a source. Grid India has recommended a dedicated funding mechanism through government grants or an alternative sustainable financing arrangement.
Conclusion
The Report is recommendatory in nature. MoP is required to give effect to the trajectory specified in it through appropriate orders, notifications, amendments or directions. The commercial consequences will therefore depend on whether and how the trajectory is implemented. Given that the Report contemplates that SCADA imports are to cease by 2030, it is a step in the right direction for India’s energy security and is likely to reduce dependence on imported control systems and strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity. If implemented, the trajectory will require stakeholders to plan reliability, cybersecurity and procurement around domestically manufactured systems, in furtherance of the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy.
This Prism has been prepared by:
|
Akshat Jain |
Sayan Ghosh |
|
For more details, please contact km@jsalaw.com.
