Govt mulls R&D centre to develop in-house tech tools for homeland security

In order to up its technological capability in the area of homeland security, the government is looking at setting up a centre to carry out focused research on latest electronic equipment which can be indigenously manufactured in the country.  The centre, funded by the government will be set up in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay and the industry. The move is also driven by the security concerns regarding deploying imported equipment for country’s internal defense needs.

According to an official of the department of electronics and information technology, which is spearheading the initiative, there is a need for development of products specifically for internal security issues. 'Currently, either the equipment which caters to the needs of various security agencies is not available easily in the country, or very expensive to deploy,' said joint secretary Ajay Kumar.

For instance, the force on the ground in Naxalite infected areas don’t have communication tools. 'The only tool available is the satellite phone, which is very expensive and can’t be used at a large scale. So, this centre can be commissioned by the government or the industry to build equipment catering to their exact need at a cost-effective price,' Kumar added.

Currently, discussions are going on between the government and the industry to work out the feasibility of the proposal. Officials from various security agencies in the country like CRPF, NSG, NIA, SPG along with state police agencies were present at a recent meeting to deliberate on the project.  IIT Bombay, which will house the centre, feels that its expertise in the area can be leveraged. 'We felt that the requirements for homeland security are different from those of the armed forces for which agencies such as the DRDO carry out research,' said Abhay Karandikar, head of electrical division at IIT Bombay. Karandikar added that the centre is at a very formative stage yet and availability of equipment, its cost and security are the main drivers behind the idea. 'The point is not to give complete design and control of a particular system in somebody’s hand.'

The specific areas where the research could be carried out include image processing, video analytics, communication systems, sensors for explosive detection, robotics, autonomous vehicle such as unmanned aerial vehicles etc. 'We can develop the prototypes, which can be productionised and deployed by the industry.' Karandikar added.  

The centre, which will arm the government to tackle internal security issues better, is a good idea feel experts only if research on equipment which could be 'productionised' and at a cost which is cheaper that what is already available.  'It is a doable and well workable idea as most research in countries such as the United States is driven by the universities. However, only systems and technology peculiar to homeland security should be worked on as there are many agencies and companies which are already offering security equipment in the country and abroad,' said a security expert who did not wish to be identified.

The person added that for instance, various combat agencies have their own security equipment but they can’t talk to each other in a crisis situation as their communication systems are not on the same frequency. 'So, if a system is developed which is can provide seamless and interoperable communication and is not very expensive then it will make a lot of sense for companies to develop it.'