Two industry associations have signed a pact to promote a voluntary seven-star rating system to label private security agencies that would help domestic consumers make informed choices and bolster the country’s opportunities to export private security services.

Tuesday’s memorandum of understanding between the Central Association of Private Security Industry and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India will seek to promote the adoption of the rating system first announced in February this year.

The certification and rating system, jointly developed by the CAPSI and the Quality Council of India, will introduce for the first time standardised labels of quality for the country’s estimated 22,000 private security agencies, CAPSI and QCI officials said.

The certification levels range from a single (one) star to seven stars with each successive label implying incrementally higher quality levels, the officials said.

A 1-star private security agency would merely need to be compliant with regulatory requirements, while a 7-star agency would represent professionally managed security operations complying with the best global standards.

“This initiative will work for the domestic market and help us expand services in other countries,” said Kuwar Vikram Singh, the CAPSI chairman.

Indian companies are already providing security services to customers in West Asia, Africa and Europe, he said.

The security agencies that seek certification and stars will be assessed on multiple technical and operational parameters including competence and quality of training, internal management practices, problem-solving capacities, equipment and resources, communication and documentation and internal audits, among others, Singh said.

The QCI expects that it could take about six months before the first set of private security agencies prepare themselves for assessment to earn the stars, said Anil Jahri, the QCI’s chief executive officer.

The Union home ministry and external affairs ministry had earlier this year facilitated a visit to Qatar by four CAPSI officials who met local officials for discussions relating to the security requirements during the Fifa World Cup scheduled in Qatar in 2022.

The CAPSI delegation members briefed local officials about the expertise and experience of Indian private security agencies in providing services during national and international sports events in India.