The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar has stressed the need to enhance the Information, Communications, Technology, Electronics and Cyber (ICTEC) infrastructure capabilities of the Indian Army to ensure protection from disruptive cyber-attacks and manipulations. Addressing the inaugural function of the two day long DEFCOM-2015 , Shri Parrikar said, while we progress through the use of ICTEC and make the army more digitalised, the other danger is disruption by the adversaries. “My worry is information black out which can result out of disruptive mechanisms” he said. The minister said that the future wars may be in the form of cyber wars but he strongly felt that the conventional armies cannot be replaced and should be equipped by providing them the information to fight in a well decided, equipped and planned manner. Describing India as source of human intelligence he said, we have been in the forefront of software development and now there is a need to go into better hardware designing and integration in our streams.
Lt. Gen Nitin Kohli, Signal Officer-in-Chief and Colonel Commandant Corps of Signal in his speech said the Indian Army is moving towards net centricity and is implementing a large number of communications and information technology projects. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Director General, Shri Chandrajit Banerjee and CII Chairman, Shri Kiran Karnik also spoke on the occasion.
The DEFCOM-2015 is jointly conducted by the Corps of Signal (Indian Army) and CII under the theme “leveraging ICTEC Infrastructure and Harnessing the Human Capital for Digital Army”. The event presents an ideal platform for all participants to understand each other’s capabilities and needs in ICTEC field, synergise their efforts and emerge with a pragmatic way forward.
The Defence Minister also inaugurated an exhibition of leading edge equipment by over fifty manufacturers of Indian and International Industry at the venue.
The function was attended by the Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh, Senior Army Officers, distinguished speakers and luminaries from Indian Industry, Academia and R&D organisations.