Aerospace Diary

World Conflict Guide Neelam Mathews New Delhi Internal security is a growing concern in India, as the country deals with the persistent Naxalite insurgency and with a large, and largely unsecured, coastline and regional waters, which terrorists, smugglers and pirates regularly threaten. Add to this the relatively unsecured land borders where dangerous activities flourish. The government is, consequently, increasing funding to strengthen coastal and border surveillance and to provide the necessary equipment and personnel for security enforcement. Procurement opportunities will emerge from the present budget of $14.7 billion, which is expected to increase to $25-28 billion over the next five to seven years. Planned expenditures cover intelligence gathering, law enforcement and counterterrorism activities, critical asset protection, government infrastructure protection, border defense and digital-network...

Aerospace Daily-Av Week Dec 3, 2010   By Neelam Mathews  NEW DELHI- The lack of inter-agency security coordination exposed during the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks resulted in the Indian navy taking numerous initiatives to strengthen security of coastal areas. The most significant step has been the integration of all maritime stakeholders, including several state and central agencies into the coastal security matrix, according to Chief of Naval Staff Adm. Nirmal Verma. “I am of the view that attaining awareness of the maritime domain is not a localized action to be undertaken by a single agency,” Verma said here Dec. 2 at a press conference held for Navy Day, which is celebrated on Dec. 4. “Intelligence and information sharing has undergone a transformational change,” he continued. “There is today far better coordination, synergy and understanding among all agencies.” There are 36 ships and submarines curre...