Pathankot attacks - Technology would have helped.

Adapting new technology can be of help

First of all, my deepest condolences to the families of all martyrs who died fighting for the country during pathankot attacks and i just want to clarify that i am from a defence family and i always appreciate what soldiers do for their nation being on the front line while we live a peaceful life in our homes.

Recently i was talking to one of my friend during this new year and when this Pathankot attack happen and it was really devastating when you hear about the people who die during these attacks. First of all, i would not like to make it a political topic, so no point discussing that why these kind of incidents always happen after someone from India visit Pakistan, you take example of Kargil war or pathankot attacks. Many newspaper talked about the security lapses after this attack.  Well, as per me, the major concern which everyone should have, that if the most important military bases which are on the front line like Pathankot  are not secure then what about the other military installations. 

Myself being from technical background always think about how technology can help in these kind of situations if our armed forces are properly trained to use them. 

(1) During the kargil attacks, i was so affected to hear about the Indian army casualties, that i thought that why cannot a drone or UAV  cannot be used during these kind of fights. 

(2) When Mumbai attacks happen, i saw some of the videos, that a army personnel is using a long stick to see inside the window where terrorist have taken place, the also i though, why cannot advance robotics can come into action. 

I know, situations in war jones or during these kind of attacks are not like what we think of. There is a tense and environment of urgency during those kind of situations. Army personals or defense personal have to take quick actions and some time have to put up there life on the line. But my point is aren't they trained for these kind of situations. Or cannot be put some more effort in training our commandos and army personal to use technology while tackling these kind of situations. There is a huge possibility that Indian defense might be using these kind of technologies. 

In my thoughts if latest technology would have been used, Pathankot attacks would have been succeeded and all those who died in these attacks wouldn't have died, very specifically Col. Niranjan. 

How technology can be useful. 

• Use of Defense Database and Image processing system - On a approx basis, i think, no of higher ranking officials in India would not be more then 5 lakh to 6 lakh. Why can't indian government can make a huge database. In that case, terrorist who entered Pathankot defense land using Police SP car would have entered. How? Face scanning using DIP would have come into action here. I know it can be a tricky application. Putting together all the officials name in a DB and sharing it with some organization is just like putting too much at risk, but then technology have played role. 

• Use of Robotics in bomb diffusing -  Long time back, i had seen a movie Transporter movie. In that movie they had used a robot to open the door of a minivan. Why cannot we use robots in diffusing or scanning bombs. Means here is my main questions which i want to ask and in any case i am not doubting the patriotism and heroism of  Indian soldiers. Why don't indian army use robots in defusing bomb and why Col. Niranjan have to take action in defusing the booby trap. He was a big asset of Indian Army and NSG who was specialist in defusing bombs. He was also in action during Mumbai attacks. As per me, he wouldn't have died but again in war zone or during these kind of attacks, anything can happen. Now how robotics can be of use? Simply search for Hand gesture based robot control and you will get lot of results.

1. Gesture based robot control with video 
2. Bomb defusing robot - how it work
3. Two robot based bomb defusing
4. UK army bomb defusing robot
5. Bomb defusing - evolution 
6. Bomb Defusing robot from Johns hopkins researchers
7. And the best thing is i find a DRDO (Defense research development organization) based robot for bomb defusing called as Daksh ROV.  Really this is amazing, when it was handed over to Indian Army, why it is still not in use???Question remain the same? Why technology is not used effectively in these kind of situations? And here is the video of DAKSH in action 

• Use of UAV's in area scanning - With companies like IdeaForge in existence, why don't we use their quadcopters/UAV's in scanning the area and then taking some action? Here is a video which demonstrate how Quadcopters can be useful in these operations. 

And there are lot of others idea people and GOI can come with, in order to make Indian Army and NSG commandos more effective during these kind of operation. These kind of operations effect everyone in the nation. When some soldier die, people feel the pain of family who lost their son and there is nation wide mourning. I can only hope, that technology will be used in a better and enhanced manner in up-coming operations.

Jain Hind, Jai Bharat.