Technical Sessions

GIS for internal security
Ensuring safety of its citizens, protecting critical infrastructure like public transit system (railways, roads, etc.), refineries, etc., are some of the major challenges before any government. The capability to quickly and effectively access information that can prevent an attack, minimise damage and saves lives is the need of the hour. The session will focus on geospatial solution for internal security as well as solutions to deal with insurgencies.

Positioning and Navigation
Geography has always been important in military operations. Tracking enemy location or movements, knowledge about the exact position of one’s soldiers or vehicles are vital in battlefield or anti-terror operations. Satellites play a critical role in location, navigation and tracking applications. With major countries investing in building their own Global Navigation Satellite System, the positioning and navigation sector is witnessing growth like never before.

Intelligent Logistics
An effective logistics system should be able to marry the power of information with modern transportation and communication systems. This requires an evolution of a seamless logistics system that ties all parts of the logistics community into one network of shared situational awareness and unified action. Logistics is inherently concerned with geographical information from board level decisions about the location of manufacturing and warehousing to operational level decisions about the best route for transportation. GIS thus plays a major role in improving efficiency and effectiveness in logistics processes, providing competitive advantage to both users and providers of logistics services.

Border management
Infiltration, illegal smuggling of drugs and humans, etc., are some of the major challenges that border security forces face everyday. The session will focus on the technologies available for effective border management. It will also highlight how geospatial technologies are being used by agencies in safeguarding the country’s borders.

Maritime Security
Piracy off the coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden has grown steadily over the years and has now assumed alarming proportions. According to International Maritime Bureau (IMB), about 53 ships were hijacked worldwide in 2010. The similar number of ships and seafarers were hijacked in the first nine months of 2011 only. It is not only the coastal waters off Somalia which are dangerous, but also the entire Indian Ocean between India and Mozambique is said to be a haven for thousands of pirates. Gulf of Aden in Indian Ocean is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, and as such, piracy in the region threatens the lifeline of international trade. The session will address this issue and throw light on how geospatial technology is helping the agencies in carrying out its anti-piracy operations.

Emerging Trends
Geospatial technology is finding its applications in areas like predictive analysis, human terrain analysis (HTA) etc. Maps are being developed as apps to ensure mobile availability of geospatial information to soldiers. Online, on-demand information is now a reality and the need of the hour. The session will see experts talk about the latest trends in this sector and how the technology is changing the way the security agencies work around the world.