Held just over two months after the deadly multi-mode and multi-target attack by alleged Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai, the Technical Seminar on Internal Security, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with Association of Police & Security Suppliers (APPSS) the sister trade association of the Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA), United Kingdom on 4th and 5th February, 2009 was indeed timely and most welcome.

That APPSS was a major component with a number of companies, showcasing a substantial addition of the security sectors high-tech and stealthy anti-terrorist investigation and forensic aids effectively used by the British Security establishment in the surge of post 9/11 terrorist attacks and the choice of participants only raised the significance of the event.

Instrumenting Security

Deputy National Security Advisor, Government of India, Mr. Shekhar Dutt, SM, former Defence Secretary, who had also served earlier in the Army stated that security is getting far more comprehensive connotation than purely a military or law and order construct. Today, the civil society is conceiving itself as an equal and complementing matrix of national security. He further added, “Our policies and strategies need to prepare for the future and not merely address the present. From box-based planning, we need to orient to a transformational mode where activity lines and time lines are well defined. For achieving a competent position globally, he mentioned that the industry should intensify R&D with regard to security technology”.

Mr. Dutt called for a better instrumentation of security environment, by linking the economy with science in a manner, which is structured and monitorable. Mr. Dutt said that, internal security involves human beings who value their own freedom as much as they value the nations security. Therefore technology is definitely an important tool; though the essential driver remains the human mind. India is witnessing a transition from a traditionally developing society to a modern state accentuated because of ongoing technological revolution. We are witnessing awakening of the dormant masses that wish to challenge the unity of elites at the top of the national pyramid.

Security Products

Additional Secretary (CS), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India Ms. Anita Choudhary, pointed out that terrorism, left wing extremism and insurgency in the North-East India region as major threats to India’s security. There is however a greater need for development of domestic manufacturing base for sophisticated security technology. She further added that the increase in the number of business establishments has heightened the need for security. This presents a scope for the security business establishments to help in building capacity in security domain, which includes mobility equipments, communication devices, security equipments, forensic mechanism etc.

Security Vs Technology

Highlighting the opportunities in securities industry, Mr. Ajai Chowdhary, Chairman, CII National Committee on IT, ITES & E-Commerce & Founder HCL, Chairman & CEO HCL Infosystems Limited, stated, Since the world is restructuring its decade old treaties to accommodate India’s interest and India should exceed its technological capabilities. The security matrix has to be refined further by moving ahead of sensors based setup. The nation has to adopt technologies like data warehousing and data mining for a better tracking. Mr. Choudhary also pointed out that the Indian Administration has beefed-up budget of developing security and surveillance capabilities to US$10 billion. Acquisition for radar for 7,500 km long coastline is in operation. The Ministry of Home Affairs declared developing airborne capabilities for National Security Guards (NSG) and modernisation of State Police Forces.

Project Manager, APPSS, UK, Ms Toni Adnams, heading the British delegation of 21 members, interacting with this writer, expressed that while she was satisfied at the steadily increasing participation of the British defence industry in major showcasing events in India like Def Expo over the past years, another very important value addition was the support of the vibrant and hitech UK security sector from the UK companies of APPSS. She added that the chill in London affecting flight schedules failed to dampen the enthusiasm of all her delegation members, who made their way to New Delhi despite the odds.

Need for Telephone Forensics

Shaun Hipgrave of Forensic Telecommunications Service (FTS) felt that huge education in the field of telephone forensic measures was a major requirement in India, where prior to 26/11, there was neither much knowledge nor consciousness about such equipment. In fact, shortly before the Mumbai attack, he had met the late head of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad, Mr. Hemant Karkare. Hipgrave said that forensic science had advanced so much that no matter how badly damaged, if cell phones of the victims or terrorists could recovered, their sim cards could yield valuable evidence.

Mr. John Patterson, an optical engineer working for Ultrafine Tehnologies demonstrated the fascinating achievement of the cameras with probes which could stealthily and silently and swiftly penetrate thick concrete walls and provide still or moving views of the other side.

Lt Col J Wood, of the Royal Sappers, an explosives disposal and crisis handling expert said that national security had for the first time needed an all-embracing approach, even though attack by non nuclear explosives was not strategic in extent.

Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd), Director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies felt that the old capacity for covert operations needed to be reorganised so that deadly terrorists cannot simply continue killing with impunity but can be attacked. The covert operation need not be done by own troops or operatives as the same could be well outsourced to persons of the enemy or adversary country.

Colonel Gobinder Singh (Retd), DMA/APPSS UKs New Delhi based South Asia regional representative, who has been instrumental in promoting and coordinating India-UK security industry meets sees a good future of cooperation, including purchases and joint ventures and feels that law and order and security agencies should make best use of the security sector.

Apathetic Police

While participants included industrialists and serving as well as retired officers of the three services, one category quite conspicuous by its absence-noted and commented by a number of speakers- was that of the police. In view of large scale and long overdue process of modernisation and reforms, senior police officers should take a close look at all such equipment.

Besides these there were many other sophisticated surveillance devices, protection systems against chemical attacks and various other gizmos, which Indian security agencies must have to tackle or neutralise extrememly well-equipped terrorists.

Offering the vote of thanks, Mr. S. Sen, Principal Advisor, CII, said since 1993, CII has been working with the Ministry of Defence to increase industry participation in defence production. With this seminar, CII intends to take ahead the initiative to the Ministry of Home Affairs as well. Based on the feedback from the seminar, CII will come out with a comprehensive long-term plan on Internal Security. The task force will envisage policy advocacy for the security environment; drawing guidelines by bringing out the best practices in the industry; and spread awareness about technology amongst the security framework.

Lt Gen (Retd) PPS Bhandari, President, Rolta Thales Limited, observed that the security sector’s inclusion into defence industry would expand the scope of imports and hoped that it would result in a major enhancement of capabilities among Indian security agencies.

* Colonel (Retd) Anil Bhat, VSM, is a strategic and defence analyst.