India’s Private Security Crisis: Why Policy Reform Can’t Wait Any Longer
India’s ₹1.5 lakh crore private security sector is in crisis due to outdated regulation and inconsistent enforcement. CAPSI leads the call for urgent PSARA reform, guard welfare, and a central regulatory authority to safeguard India’s frontline workforce.
Introduction: A Nation Guarded, But Not Watching
India’s private security industry, with over 12 million personnel, silently forms the country’s largest unarmed workforce. Yet this ₹1.5 lakh crore sector, critical to national safety and economic security, operates under decades-old policies, uneven enforcement, and growing exploitation.
This isn’t just an operational problem—it’s a policy failure. And unless the government acts now, the cracks in India’s first line of defense will widen into a national threat.
The PSARA Bottleneck: Policy That Hasn’t Kept Up
The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA) was a bold step when introduced. But 20 years later, the industry has evolved—and the law hasn’t.
State-wise licensing creates bottlenecks, despite agencies operating pan-India.
No mention of cybersecurity, AI surveillance, digital training, or wage standardisation.
70% of agencies still operate without valid PSARA licenses.
Inspection and enforcement mechanisms have either collapsed or are inconsistently applied.
India’s security is being built on a policy that is outdated, fragmented, and largely ignored.
CAPSI’s Leadership in Reform: Policy Advocacy in Action
In this vacuum, CAPSI (Central Association of Private Security Industry) has emerged as the single most credible body championing industry-wide transformation.
Backed by veterans from the Army, IPS, and top industry professionals, CAPSI has submitted a reform blueprint to the Ministry of Home Affairs, focused on:
✅ A Unified National Licensing Portal
One PSARA license across India through a central system to end bureaucratic delays.
✅ National Minimum Wage for Guards
Standardized minimum pay of ₹15,000/month linked to city classification, ensuring fair compensation.
✅ Establishment of a National Directorate
A Private Security Services Directorate under the Home Ministry to audit, regulate, and support the sector.
✅ The CAPSI Guard Welfare Code
ESI, PF, rotational shifts, night-duty health checks, and grievance redressal—made enforceable by law.
✅ Elimination of L1 in Public Security Tenders
No more awarding contracts solely based on lowest cost; quality and compliance should win, not exploitation.
The Human Cost of Delayed Reform
Security guards in India work 12+ hours a day, often 7 days a week, earning less than ₹10,000/month.
Many lack basic protective gear, restrooms, or insurance.
Unregulated agencies routinely violate labour laws, safety norms, and training mandates.
This isn’t just a moral failure. It’s a national security vulnerability.
What India Can Learn Globally
The UK’s SIA model regulates every guard through a central licensing authority.
South Africa’s PSIRA model includes skill development, audits, and welfare protections.
India, despite being the largest private security employer in the world, has no such centralized oversight—yet.
CAPSI’s Call to Policymakers: The Time Is Now
We are not asking for reforms—we are demanding responsibility. India’s infrastructure, businesses, airports, data centers, and industrial hubs depend on private security guards. But without legal protection, skill-building pipelines, or health safeguards, the foundation is crumbling.
CAPSI is ready with the vision, data, and national coordination framework. But the government must move beyond lip service and implement policy that reflects today’s challenges—not yesterday’s assumptions.
Secure the Guard to Secure the Nation
If India truly values its future, it must start by respecting those who guard it.
And respect begins with policy, not platitudes.
Let this be the year CAPSI’s advocacy turns into action, and India finally gives its guards what they deserve—not just a post, but a future.
Share this article with policymakers, security agency heads, and media stakeholders.
Let’s push for PSARA 2.0.
By Dr. Sheetal Nair
Member, CAPSI National Council | President, CAPSI Gujarat | Founder, DSSG Bespoke Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
