New Delhi, Nov 3 (IBNS) The homeland security market in India is likely to reach about Rs 1.18 lakh crore by 2017 from the current level of over Rs 80,000 crore, according to an ASSOCHAM-Aviotech study on homeland security.
The Indian homeland security market is currently growing at a compounded annual growth rate of about 15 per cent and represents a significant opportunity for private sector and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), according to a study titled ‘India Homeland Security Market: An Emerging Opportunity,’ jointly undertaken by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and corporate and defence aerospace specialist Aviotech.
A variety of factors ranging from issues over demand, supply, visibility and environment are the significant drivers of the homeland security market in India, according to the study that was jointly released by G.K. Pillai, IAS, former secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Sandeep Salunke, Inspector General of Police, Crime, Uttar Pradesh at the Homeland Security India Conference “IFSEC-2012: Changing Landscape of India’s Homeland Security,” held at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh here.
Substantiating limited capability of security forces with new equipments, creation of new and dedicated forces and units to counter emerging situations, proactive approach to critical infrastructure, asset protection and disaster management are certain demand factors driving the homeland security market, highlights the study.
Highlighting the supply side factors, the study said that capabilities to address the gaps in homeland security solutions in India are spread spread across private and government sources.
Besides, requirements for homeland security and disaster management in the Ministry of Home Affairs and at the state levels are also being met by imports and international companies selling products in India.
Sharing of information and intelligence amid different agencies, inter-operability of networks, faster identification of emerging threats, and superior response times to identified threats, cohesive management of operations at central and state levels are certain key visibility factors in this regard.
Increasing number of internal security threats, emergence of home-grown insurgency networks and emerging nexus of international terrorist groups, foreign state sponsored organisations and home-grown insurgency are certain environmental factors driving the homeland security, according to the study.
“The homeland security industry has a very bright future in India considering that crime would grow exponentially in the next few decades unless we make use of technology and impart proper training to the security forces,” said the former home secretary while inaugurating the ASSOCHAM-Aviotech Homeland Security Conference.
“We need to train at least five lakh policemen every year on various aspects and we have thus asked the state governments to outsource police personnel training as much as possible thereby making it a long distance learning process due to scarce resources,” said Pillai.
“There is also a need for criminal judicial reforms as the conviction rate in India is a meagre 10 per cent and about 90 per cent of those committing crimes walk home safe without any punishment.”
The former home secretary also advised the industry players in homeland security to work in areas of perking up road safety mechanism as about 133,000 people die in road accidents across India leading to a loss of about $20 billion per year.
Earlier, Sandeep Salunke, IGP, Crime, UP Police in his state address emphasised that the government should upload technical white papers on its websites to aid the security industry. “The home ministry should put up the technical white papers on its website to aid the end users in deciding what kind of technology suits their requirements.”
Raising the issue of lack of trained security officials, Salunke said: “There is a need for certified security professionals in different areas as per the government approved standards, just like we have certified software, computer professionals for computer networking and other areas.”
Salunke also said that there is also a case for having a regulator for the security equipment business.
Amid others who also spoke during the conference included: Dr. Vivek Lall, President & CEO, Reliance Industries Ltd., Rahul Gangal, Director, Aviotech, Pankaj Jain, project director, IFSEC & Homeland Security Conference-2012 and Vice Admiral (Retd.) P.C. Bhasin, PVSM, AVSM, VSM and chairman, ASSOCHAM Defence Committee Member and senior advisor, L&T Ltd.
