National security facing technological challenges, says Avinash Chander

While India has great potential for economic and individual growth, the country is facing challenges on both external and internal fronts as India is in the hub of a turbulent region, said Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and DRDO Director General Dr. Avinash Chander while delivering the 27th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture here today.

Dr. Chander pointed out that India has on its west front Pakistan which is facing its own internal dissentions, Iraq and Syria which are in the middle of turmoil, and in the northeast we have insurgencies-and the country is facing hostile nuclear powers with an established history of hostilities.

He said that India has always considered intelligence agencies not as instruments of oppression but as tools of governance. "Their task has become more complex because of modern technology which has made an impact in every phase of intelligence cycle; information gathering, information analysis and information dissemination," he said.

He pointed out that technology now allows location of transmitters and precise measurement from space in hyper spectral domain to differentiate between decoys and the real targets.

Dr. Chander underlined the importance of safeguarding its space assets which are vulnerable to electronic warfare like jamming, laser attacks and killer microsatellites.

He said that the DRDO has developed systems which enable to gather intelligence for countering asymmetric warfare.

"This will enable to prevent infiltration, monitoring their movements, funding processes, support base and monitor their networks," he added.

Dr. Chander said that unmanned autonomous systems such as UAVs are highly effective in surveillance and reconnaissance. India has developed Nishant unmanned aerial vehicle which is already in use by the armed forces. Rustom-1 with capability of seven to eight hours is ready and Rustom-2 capable of operating at an altitude of 30,000 feet will be made available in a year's time with indigenous sensors. The DRDO has also developed Aerostat, an aerial platform for surveillance operating from an altitude of one kilometer.

Dr. Chander said that in the long-term there will be convergence of nano-technology, bio-technology, information and cognitive technology which will transform every aspect of life including warfare.

In his introductory address, Director of the Intelligence Bureau Asif Ibrahim underlined the importance of modern technology like cyber intelligence which has made intelligence gathering and analysis a complex task. Dineshwar Sharma, who will take over as the next Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief, gave the vote of thanks at the function that was presided over by National Security Adviser N.K. Doval.

The function was attended by former Directors of Intelligence Bureau, former Director Generals of Police and serving officers of Intelligence Bureau.