Category: Feature

Across the world, schools are discovering that the path to sustainability runs straight through their classrooms. It’s transforming education in a very good way. Picture this: A classroom that saves thousands of sheets of paper each year, students who collaborate on virtual whiteboards, and teachers who share content digitally. Imagine a world of education where assignments flow seamlessly without wasting a single sheet of paper. No more overflowing recycling bins, and no more guilt about the impact on the environment. Welcome to the paperless classroom. The paper trail problem: The hidden costs of traditional classrooms Traditional classrooms operate on a consumable-intensive model, creating ongoing financial and environmental burdens. Research shows that classrooms consume massive quantities of paper, In the US, for example, schools use 32 billion sheets annually at a cost of $1.6 billion. In the UK, schools consume on average one million sheets per school every year. This consumption represents a major environmental challenge which contributes to deforestation and waste generation. Beyond the cost of paper, consumable dependency extends to markers, chalk, and printing supplies, all of which require constant restocking. Teachers rely on projector systems which consume 150-800 watts each and adding to overall operating expenses. These recurring costs divert resources from core educational investments as schools struggle to balance quality education with fiscal responsibility and sustainable practices. Going green with smart interactive solutions Every morning in schools, teachers queue at copy machines as if they’re waiting for coffee. Students, meanwhile, manage stacks of worksheets that could rival a small forest, and recycling bins reach capacity by the end of the day. Interactive displays, however, eliminate this entire workflow. Students collaborate directly on digital surfaces, assignments distribute instantly across devices, and lesson materials reside in cloud-based systems. The outcome – classrooms operate seamlessly with zero paper consumption. Rather than distributing physical handouts to 20-30 students, educators present interactive content that enables simultaneous manipulation by all participants. Students annotate directly on displays, engage in collaborative problem-solving, and submit assignments digitally. Identical lesson materials serve multiple classes without reprints. Processes that previously demanded hundreds of paper copies can now be executed through touch interactions. Beyond paper reduction, these displays provide energy efficiency that makes traditional projectors look like energy-hungry dinosaurs. Intelligent algorithms dynamically adjust brightness according to content requirements, while kicks in whenever the screen is idle. Engineered for extended lifecycles, they function for years without the frequent lamp replacements that send projector components to landfills. A single display can serve multiple classes, multiple subjects, and multiple years of sustainable e-learning. From paper stacks to digital success: Paperless education improves sustainability Spring Dale Senior School in Punjab, India, exemplifies successful sustainable classroom transformation through their comprehensive ‘Going Paperless’ initiative. The school faced escalating costs from continuous restocking of markers and paper supplies. To address these challenges, they implemented Hikvision’s WonderHub interactive displays across 80 classrooms and conference rooms. The results speak for themselves. Teachers now assign homework through integrated quiz applications while students participate via personal devices, eliminating printed worksheets entirely. Digital content gets instantly updated and shared across eco-friendly classrooms, completely removing the dependency on physical teaching materials. More than that, the displays incorporate advanced green technologies, including PixMaster intelligent energy management, which identifies content types and adjusts image parameters such as brightness and contrast. Echo Mode further improves energy efficiency by reducing power consumption during periods of low activity. Together, these features ensure strong environmental performance without compromising visual quality. The transformation didn’t just reduce environmental impact – it enhanced educational outcomes through increased student engagement and improved curriculum responsiveness. The school now positions itself as an innovative, environmentally conscious, educational leader. One investment delivered multiple benefits: cost savings, environmental protection, and better learning experiences. The success at Spring Dale Senior School illustrates a broader global shift toward greener education. Schools worldwide are embracing interactive displays to cut paper waste while enhancing learning outcomes. Each digital classroom is a meaningful step toward sustainable, carbon-neutral education. Forward-thinking institutions now regard interactive displays as essential infrastructure, driving environmental responsibility and educational excellence. Explore our interactive display solutions to build smarter, greener classrooms. Read More

By Milind BorkarStrategic Consultant, VICON The next generation of airport security intelligence system Most planned acts of terrorism all over the world are thwarted by ultra-modern methods of intelligence gathering. Security services couldn’t operate as effectively as they do without utilizing highly sophisticated systems that continually adapt to changing circumstances and increased levels of threat. Airport security is the biggest challenge of all. Airports are extremely busy public places, and unfortunately, so are prime targets for terrorism. So, it has proved – with aircraft, passengers, crew and airport infrastructure all subject to terrorist attacks. Airport defense really does present a labyrinth of security challenges. Enter TASS – the most advanced and innovative multi-level surveillance and intelligence system that airport authorities could hope for. TASS will monitor the entire airport, providing complete real-time situational awareness to those in charge of security matters. Deployed for the TAS field trial at London’s airport The TASS concept is based on integrating and fusing data from different types of real time sensors & sub-systems in a variety of modes, including fixed and mobile, all suitable for operation under any environmental conditions. Under TASS, airport security control will be divided into the following seven major airport security control segments (AS-CS) to ensure that the defense of each segment, and the airport as a whole, is as efficient and effective as possible. All airport facilitates people (passengers, visitors, staff, air-crew), vehicles, cargo, baggage, airplanes and airport-air-space access, environment, cyberspace. Each of these segments will be monitored 24-7 and the data generated by the different sensors and subsystems will be fused, processed and analyzed. The data provides an on-going real time holistic view of the security situation within the entire airport area. This up-to-the-second information will be shared between all the authorities involved in airport security, allowing decision makers to reach a situational assessment and work closely together in determining the best ways to neutralize any threat. Deployed for the TAS field trial at London’s airport TAS comprises of a multi-level video and situation intelligence offering specifically designed to help airports advance their threat detection capabilities. The TAS consortium initiator and coordinator, along with several key partners from leading European technology companies, launched the field testing of the TAS prototype in October 2015. During the trial, three pre-identified security threat scenarios are being tested, allowing members within the airport community to observe and evaluate the TAS system. Part of the Seventh EU Framework Program (FP7), TAS is a four year project that ran until March 2015. The TAS consortium is led by Opgal and composed of 20 leading European technology companies, research institutes and end-user organizations. The purpose of TAS is to enable an advanced, integrated approach to airport security by creating an entire airport situation intelligence solution that provides real-time, accurate situational awareness to airport authorities. Based on integrating and fusing different types of real-time sensors and sub-systems for data collection, TAS operates in a variety of modes, including fixed and mobile, and under any environmental condition. TAS represents a significant step forward in developing the model for integrated systems at airports, which typically have a range of systems and sensors not natively designed to interoperate or share intelligence in a coordinated manner. The purpose of TAS is to enable an advanced, integrated approach to airport security by creating an entire airport situation intelligence solution  Heathrow security officials will continue to conduct several simulated scenarios testing the system’s functionality and interoperability with the integrated technologies. Among the technology being used in the field trial are Boss Video Management Software™ (VMS) and Applied PSIM, a physical security information management solution. The VMS solution is a powerful video management application designed to view video, monitor system health and export information for investigative purposes. PSIM captures information from a variety of security, safety and building management systems; enables users to view, correlate and analyze the information to identify situations quickly and efficiently; and helps initiate and manage responses to security situations in collaboration with local authorities and agencies. The Nextiva solutions are open-standards based and have been integrated with the other consortium key partner technologies. “The TAS consortium is pleased to execute and monitor its first proof-of-concept testing at Heathrow,” said Gideon Hazzani, TAS project coordinator and director of business development, Communications and Cyber Intelligence Solutions™, “Airports sophisticated environment made it an attractive candidate for the trial. Upon integrating the various systems, the consortium will continue its field trial to validate the Total Airport Security ability to deliver real-time data to security authorities, enabling them to quickly identify and assess situations, and effectively respond to alerts within pre-defined parameters set forth by the airport.” Read More

Food security is no longer just a question of agriculture or economics but fast becoming an issue of national security due to the adverse effects of climate change and geopolitics. While each of these has shaped food systems individually, together their compounding effect has proven to be more lethal than governments, corporates, and global supply chains could anticipate and adapt to. Climate change is responsible for structural breaks in agricultural output with events such as erratic monsoons or heatwaves affecting prices, procurement and margins, while climate adaptation remains reactive and ill-equipped in proactively dealing with climate volatility. Similarly, modern conflict is not limited to military confrontation, extending to economic warfare in the form of sanctions, trade tariffs, blocked routes, and supply chain disruptions. This presents food security risks for non-participating countries during a conflict, because of the highly interdependent nature of global food trade and production. As such, global food systems remain structurally exposed to climate and geopolitics with barely any sign of this exposure seeming to shrink soon, impacting the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector significantly. For a country like India, these two faultlines converge quite harshly. India’s climate dependence on the monsoon season and geopolitical dependence on imports makes it particularly vulnerable. The confluence of both climate change and geopolitical risk can cause considerable damage to India’s food security, urging a shift within its FMCG sector from a purely reactive approach towards a more proactive and pre-emptive approach that considers the realities of its vulnerability. India’s Climate Vulnerability India’s agriculture system relies heavily on a single seasonal event i.e., the monsoon. 52% of India’s net sown area is rainfed, with the southwest monsoon contributing to approximately 75% of the annual rainfall. Further, 60% of kharif crop farmers fully depend on this rainfall. Despite an increase in irrigation coverage in the last decade from 49% to 56%, much of India’s farmland remains exposed to monsoon variability. In 11 of the 15 moderate-to-severe El Niño years, India’s agricultural output has contracted, with rainfall falling by an average of 9.7% and kharif foodgrain output dropping to 5.7% in those years. These structural dependencies turn abstract risk into concrete quantifiable loss best illustrated by the example of March 2022. It was the hottest March in 122 years affecting north-west and central India at wheat’s grain-filling stage, when the crop cycle is most sensitive to heat stress. Productivity fell 10-15%, dropping output estimates from a projected 111.32 million tonnes to around 105 million tonnes. Domestic prices spiked to record highs of INR25,000 a tonne against the government’s INR20,150 support price, and procurement fell by more than half. The same heat spell caused daily milk production to fall by 10-15% as the heat stressed livestock, while also pushing hay prices up 20% overnight. Not all structural risks announce themselves through visible shocks like the heatwave in 2022; some build more quietly and are realized when the impact is too catastrophic or irreversible. A case in point is India’s water stress. India has 4% of the world’s fresh water supporting 18% of the world’s population. NITI Aayog projects that national water demand will surpass the supply two times by 2030. Groundwater depletion further exacerbates this imbalance, particularly in regions where food security depends on the most like Haryana’s paddy-wheat belt where average groundwater levels have dropped by 5.41 meters over the last ten years. This depletion continues despite increased prevalence of extreme weather events including heatwave or flood, which steadily wears down the same fodder, feed and grain base FMCG supply chains rely on. Impact on FMCG These climate shocks not only impact farming but move directly onto the FMCG cost sheet, with approximately a month’s lag before it hits the consumer in most cases. In categories like dairy, poultry and processed foods, feed and fodder often comprise 65-70% of operating costs, meaning a 10% jump in input costs strips 200-300 basis points off margins where companies lack pricing power. This forces a choice between shrinking volumes and shrinking margins. Dairy offers the clearest illustration of this transmission. Pre-2021, Amul’s retail price changes were sporadic, occurring roughly once in 1.5-2 years. The 2022 heatwave worsened the situation with a surge in feed prices of 25-30%, and the Lumpy Skin Disease outbreak from 2022-23 in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. This triggered near-annual price hikes of around 30% in less than seven years. Food security is no longer just a question of agriculture or economics but fast becoming an issue of national security due to the adverse effects of climate change and geopolitics. While each of these has shaped food systems individually, together their compounding effect has proven to be more lethal than governments, corporates, and global supply chains could anticipate and adapt to The disruption extended to equities as well; ITC’s shares dropped over 1.6% the day trading resumed in the markets after the imposition of wheat export ban. Adani Wilmar’s 46% revenue growth for FY22 based on generation from wheat, accounting for 38% of sales of INR18.6 billion, fell apart. Climate aberrations have increasingly become the norm rather than the exception. Per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon will exceed the norm of the Last Weather Cycle (LPC) by 92%, with a recorded chance of it being less than satisfactory at 35% (historical rate is 16%). While buffer stocks for rice and wheat can provide some relief, goods like pulses, oils, fruits, vegetables, and dairy goods continue to remain vulnerable. These are also precisely the categories where FMCG growth is concentrated, meaning the sector’s fastest-growing segments are also its most climate-vulnerable. Geopolitics and Food Security In modern geopolitical conflict, food trade is frequently weaponized alongside other forms of economic coercion. This is particularly critical given how globally interdependent the flow of global food and energy is with the Strait of Hormuz alone carrying roughly 25% of the world’s maritime oil trade and the Red Sea corridor carrying almost 20% of global rice exports and nearly 15% of global wheat exports (pre-2022). The…

Rajiv MathurPartner, MIGS Global Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Every institute in India must prepare for targeted violence before it is too late The recent murder of a school teacher inside the premises of an educational institution has shocked the entire country. It was not just another criminal incident. It happened in a place that every parent believes is safe, every teacher trusts as a workplace, and every child considers a second home.While the police investigation is in progress and the courts will decide individual responsibility, this incident raises a much larger question for all of us.Could this tragedy have been prevented?As someone who has spent more than three decades working in security, risk management and school safety, I believe the answer is possibly ‘yes.’This article is not about one school or one individual. It is about the lessons every educational institution in India must learn before another family suffers a similar loss. School safety has changed Traditionally, school safety has focused on areas such as fire safety, earthquake preparedness, building security, school transport, child protection, medical emergencies and so on. These emergencies remain important. However, the risks facing schools today have changed. Schools are no longer isolated campuses. Every day they receive parents, visitors, vendors, contractors, delivery personnel, alumni and members of the public. At the same time, incidents of stalking, harassment, domestic disputes, online abuse and targeted violence are increasing in society. The unfortunate reality is that these threats do not remain outside the school gate. Sometimes, they enter the campus. Violence does not begin on the day of the attack One of the biggest misconceptions about targeted violence is that it happens suddenly. It usually does not. In many cases across the world, violence follows a pattern. It often begins with repeated unwanted contact – then stalking, intimidation, obsession and then planning – and finally, an opportunity presents itself. By the time the attack takes place, several warning signs may already have appeared. Unfortunately, these signs are often ignored because each one is viewed separately. That is where institutions must change their thinking. Every personal threat can become an institutional risk Many organisations still believe that if an employee is facing a personal problem, it should remain outside the workplace. This approach is no longer practical. If a teacher, administrator or staff member is facing persistent harassment or stalking, the school must recognise that the threat can follow that individual to the campus. The safety of one employee quickly becomes the safety of the entire school. Protecting employees is therefore not only an HR responsibility. It is also a security responsibility. The need for behavioural threat assessment Many countries now use a structured process known as Behavioural Threat Assessment (BTA). The purpose of BTA is simple. It helps organisations identify behaviours that indicate an increasing risk of violence and enables timely intervention before an incident occurs. Instead of asking, “Who is dangerous?” – The process asks, “What behaviours indicate increasing risk?” Schools in India should begin adopting this approach. Every medium and large educational institution should have a Threat Assessment Team consisting of – principal, security head, school counsellor, HR representative, legal advisor, and police liaison officer, wherever possible. Their role is not to punish. Their role is to prevent. Visitor management needs a complete overhaul Many schools continue to depend upon manual visitor registers. Unfortunately, writing a name in a register does not make a campus secure. Modern visitor management should include – identity verification, photograph capture, digital visitor registration, confirmation from the concerned employee before entry, escort wherever necessary, time-bound visitor passes, and access restrictions for identified high-risk individuals. Besides, reception staff should also receive security awareness training. A polite yet vigilant reception is important. CCTV alone cannot prevent crime Whenever a serious incident occurs, investigators examine CCTV footage. This often creates the impression that cameras provide security. In reality, CCTV provides evidence. It does not necessarily prevent violence. Real security depends upon – good policies, well-trained people, strong leadership, clear procedures, timely communication, and risk awareness. Technology is an important tool – it is not a complete solution. Creating safe channels for speaking up One of the biggest challenges in preventing targeted violence, harassment and unsafe behaviour is that warning signs often remain hidden because people hesitate to report them. Schools need mechanisms that allow students, teachers and staff to raise concerns without fear of embarrassment, retaliation or being ignored. Traditionally, school safety has focused on areas such as fire safety, earthquake preparedness, building security, school transport, child protection, medical emergencies and so on. These emergencies remain important. However, the risks facing schools today have changed. Schools are no longer isolated campuses. Every day they receive parents, visitors, vendors, contractors, delivery personnel, alumni and members of the public. At the same time, incidents of stalking, harassment, domestic disputes, online abuse and targeted violence are increasing in society Anonymous reporting platforms can provide an additional layer of safety by enabling confidential reporting of concerns related to bullying, harassment, stalking, threats, mental distress, suspicious behaviour and other risks. Such platforms should not be viewed merely as complaint systems; they should become an important component of a school’s early-warning and safeguarding framework. However, technology alone cannot create safer schools. The effectiveness of any anonymous reporting mechanism depends on a well-defined response process, trained personnel, confidentiality, timely assessment and appropriate intervention. When combined with behavioural threat assessment and a strong safety culture, anonymous reporting can help schools identify concerns early – before they develop into serious incidents. Building a culture of acknowledgement & action A safe school environment begins with a culture where every concern is heard, acknowledged and acted upon. Many victims of harassment, stalking or intimidation hesitate to report repeated incidents. They may fear embarrassment, social stigma, retaliation, or the possibility that their concerns will not be taken seriously. In some cases, they continue hoping that the situation will resolve on its own. Schools must move beyond a culture of silence and create an environment where students,…

Vijay JyotishChief Executive Officer,Vijay Jyotish LLC (JYOTINT)Arizona, United States On 13 October 2025, a private advisory naming a coordinated mass-casualty attack profile against the Vaishno Devi temple complex and the Katra-Bhawan yatra route in Jammu and Kashmir, centered on 5 December 2025, was delivered unsolicited to India’s National Security Adviser and Union Home Minister; a companion public artifact was time-stamped on 30 October, thirty-six days ahead of the named date. No attack occurred, and the public record shows an unrelated national trigger – the 10 November Delhi Red Fort blast – driving the region’s actual security escalation over the same window. This paper asks a narrower, practitioner-level question than whether the warning was right – if a site security director – not a national agency, but the person who actually sets the width of a bag-scan lane – had held only the advisory’s top-line claim on the day the private channel went out, what would have been open to do, at what cost, and how fast. Four low-cost actions inside the director’s own authority – perimeter re-inspection, standby-force repositioning, queue metering, and a general staff advisory – are compared against a monitor-only baseline and an over-invested maximal posture, and sorted along the authority line that separates them from a full closure order. The paper concedes directly that this is a prevention-class call, the least informative outcome a security warning can produce, and claims no causal link between the advisory and anything that followed. KeywordsPilgrimage Site Security, Crowd Management, Strategic Warning, Decision Analysis, Prevention Paradox, Soft-Target Protection, Counterterrorism, India A security director running a high-footfall shrine with one ascending trek route and a fixed set of physical choke points works inside a narrow envelope – too little screening, and a queue becomes a target; too much, and the queue itself becomes the crush risk the corridor was designed to avoid. On 13 October 2025, a private advisory naming a coordinated mass-casualty attack profile against the Vaishno Devi temple complex and the Katra-Bhawan yatra route, centered on 5 December 2025, was delivered to India’s National Security Adviser and Union Home Minister, with follow-ups to the Prime Minister’s Office, the President’s office, and the Reasi District Collector.1 At the level of that top-line claim, the advisory named an attack class, a corridor, and a window; it did not, at that level, commit to a delivery mechanism, an attributed actor, or a second hazard.2 A companion public artifact was time-stamped on 30 October 2025, thirty-six days ahead of the named date, before being set private again to give the recipients room; the full advisory was released publicly only on 5 December itself, the day the window closed.3 This paper does not evaluate whether the National Security Adviser’s office was right to receive it or right to act on it. It asks a narrower, practitioner-level question: if a site security director – not a national agency, but the person who actually sets the width of a bag-scan lane – had held that top-line claim on the day the private channel went out, what would have been open to do, at what cost, and how fast. What actually happened No attack occurred on or near 5 December 2025. Kept against that single fact, the public record over the window shows an unrelated national trigger dominating security posture in Jammu and Kashmir – a bomb blast near Delhi’s Red Fort on 10 November, followed by intelligence recoveries, pivoted the country’s counter-terror posture nationally, and security was reported increased at Vaishno Devi and other temples in its immediate wake.4 Independently of that trigger, the public record over the following weeks documents a large multi-agency search around Udhampur and Basantgarh, roughly 35 kilometers from Katra, after three suspected individuals reportedly sought food at a home in the sector; CRPF ‘zero-gap’ area-domination patrols across the Jammu hills; intensified BSF vigil on the international border; VPN-usage suspensions and SIM-binding orders in border districts; and reported GPS-jamming activity against hostile drones across several border districts.5 The Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is separately documented running fire-safety and disaster-management drills, procuring security equipment, and adding personnel over the same period, with checkpoints reported installed across Katra and along the yatra track.6 None of this is attributable to the 13 October advisory, which was never shared with the temple trust and was addressed to national channels, not site management. The honest reading is that a regional security surge was already under way for reasons that have nothing to do with this particular seal, and the named window closed without the event the advisory described. The counterfactual: what a choke-point decision-maker actually had Set the ‘how did they know’ question aside entirely – it never has to be answered for the rest of this to matter. Hold to the top-line claim itself – on 13 October 2025, a site security director’s desk receives a claim naming a coordinated mass-casualty attack profile against this corridor, bounded to a window around 5 December, with no mechanism, no attributed actor and no second hazard specified at that level. What is open, and what does it cost? The fuller operational document delivered to national channels went on to specify particular tactics, a named overlook, and an itemised technical recommendation set; none of that is something a security director could have drawn from the claim itself, and none of it is treated as the basis for what follows – it belongs to the fuller record delivered to the government, not to this section. Four kinds of action sit inside a security director’s own operational reach without needing to know more than the claim itself supports.7 First, re-inspect and close perimeter and barricade gaps across the complex and other pilgrim-assembly points – a general hardening step appropriate to any coordinated attack against a fixed site, not a response to any one named technique. Second, reallocate standby forces to the corridor’s choke points for rapid deployment rather than distributing them thinly across the whole twelve-kilometer route. Third, adjust queue metering and lane…

Sreekumar NarayananChief Growth Officer, BNB Group Why integrated civilian drones can transform security, safety and operations across India’s large campuses, factories, supply chains and critical infrastructure The real opportunity is not another camera in the sky. It is a faster, safer and more intelligent way to see, decide and act The Case for Connected Civilian Drones A drone can fly farther, carry a better camera and remain in the air longer than before. Those advances are important. Yet they are not, by themselves, what will make civilian drones a game-changer for enterprise security. The real change begins when the drone stops operating as a separate flying camera and becomes part of the organisation’s existing security and operational system. Its live video must reach the same control room that already receives CCTV feeds, access-control alarms, fire alerts, perimeter-sensor events, vehicle data and emergency calls. Its location must appear on the same map. Its operator must follow the same incident process. Its evidence must enter the same case record. Its mission must support a clear business outcome. BNB as the integration catalyst: bringing together drone platforms, security systems, software workflows, embedded hardware, research and operational support. In other words, the value is not simply ‘eyes in the sky.’ The value is a connected chain from detection to verification, decision, response and evidence. This distinction matters because many early drone discussions begin with the platform – payload, endurance, range, flight controller, battery, communication link and docking station. Buyers compare technical specifications and select an aircraft. Only later do they ask how the new asset will work with the people, processes and systems already on site. That order should be reversed. A successful civilian drone programme should start with the risk, the operating problem and the response requirement. The platform should then be selected and integrated around that need. This is where an experienced systems integrator becomes as important as the drone manufacturer. The Wrong Question: ‘Which Drone Should We Buy?’ For a large university, the business question may be – how do we verify a disturbance at a remote hostel boundary within two minutes, without sending a patrol team blindly into the area? For a manufacturing plant, it may be – how do we investigate a fence alarm, roof intrusion, smoke report or hazardous spill quickly, while protecting employees and preserving production continuity? For a logistics hub, it may be – how do we locate a stopped trailer, follow an unauthorised vehicle, check a broken seal or document an incident across a yard that covers hundreds of acres? Figure 1. Integrated aerial vigil for large campuses: the drone feed, location and alerts should flow into the existing Global Security Operations Centre so teams can verify events and respond faster. For a solar park, substation, refinery, port or other critical installation, it may be – how do we inspect a difficult or dangerous area without exposing people, while joining the aerial picture with equipment alarms, weather data and perimeter events? Once the problem is stated this way, the drone becomes one part of a wider response design. The most suitable aircraft may be a multirotor, a long-endurance fixed-wing platform, a tethered drone, an automated dock-based system or a mixed fleet. The correct payload may be a normal daylight camera, thermal imaging, a high-zoom camera, a loudspeaker, a spotlight or a specialised sensor. But the purchase decision is now connected to an operating outcome, not an isolated specification sheet. Integration is The Real Force Multiplier Most large organisations already have several security systems. They may have hundreds or thousands of cameras, electronic access control, intrusion detection, fire alarm, public-address systems, vehicle barriers, automatic number-plate recognition, visitor management and a control room. Many also have building-management, maintenance, fleet, yard or IoT enterprise platforms. A standalone drone adds one more screen, one more operator and one more stream of video. An integrated drone reduces uncertainty across all the existing systems. Consider a perimeter alarm at night. A fence sensor detects movement. The command platform identifies the zone and automatically proposes the nearest drone mission. The drone reaches the location, sends live thermal and visible video and confirms whether the cause is an intruder, an animal, loose material or a maintenance issue. The control-room operator sees the fence alarm, nearby fixed cameras, access events and drone feed together. A response team receives the verified location and a safe approach route. The video, operator notes and actions are attached to one incident record. The same drone that supports security can also help operations. During another shift, it can inspect a roof after heavy rain, check a congested truck yard, verify whether an emergency exit is blocked, assess & fight small fire from a safe distance or survey damage after a storm. This shared use improves the business case and keeps the asset active rather than leaving it idle between security events. The outcome is not simply more video. It is less uncertainty, faster verification and better decisions Large Campuses:Covering the Space Between Fixed Cameras Large manufacturing, corporate, technology and residential & educational campuses present a particular challenge. Buildings, trees, open grounds, hostels, parking areas, service roads and long boundaries create changing blind spots. Fixed cameras are essential, but they cannot be placed everywhere, and their view may be blocked by distance, darkness, weather or new construction. A civilian drone can become a mobile layer above this fixed network. It can conduct planned perimeter rounds, watch movement during major events, inspect isolated areas, support searches for missing persons, guide first responders and provide a wide view during fire, crowd or weather emergencies. Figure 2. Manufacturing security gets smarter when aerial video is combined with fixed cameras, accesscontrol, fire and building systems, creating one operational picture for security, safety and maintenance teams. Its greatest value appears when it works with the campus control room. A guard who receives an emergency call should not need to telephone a separate drone team and explain the location. The incident should be marked on…

Lt Col Vivek GuptaVeteran, PCI, CFE, IIM-K AlumniVice President (Vigilance and Audit) at theSugam Group That day, it was 7 in the evening when Ravi received a call from his servant saying, “Sir, the dog has gone missing.” Shaken, Ravi stood up from his office chair and asked for details, which his servant provided. Not just a dog-lover but an animal-lover by nature and a big shot businessman by profession, Ravi left all his pending tasks, grabbed his mobile and wallet, called his driver and went off within a few seconds of receiving the call from his servant. He, along with his driver, searched frantically in the area where the possibility of finding the dog was highest, sometimes on foot and sometimes while driving. Later joined by two of his office staff, the search continued till 11 PM but in vain. Ravi told his office staff, who was a pillion rider on his colleague’s bike, to create a message with a photo of the dog and his mobile number to be sent across all WhatsApp groups and social media platforms. Ravi realised then that his servant wasn’t a dog lover but was taking care of the animal for his ‘naukri’ and must have been busy watching reels when the dog went missing, a fact which he was vehemently trying to spin. His staff took out the latest photo of the dog, and with some editing skills that he had learned earlier by seeing a few reels on his mobile (thanks to plenty of free time on the job), engraved the contact details of Ravi’s house manager and his Executive Assistant (EA) and sent it across in all the WhatsApp groups. Ravi’s family too forwarded the same. After a few “Oh no”, “So sorry to hear that”, “forwarded,” and some similes later, came personal messages of sympathy and ‘understanding.’ Generally, these were from the people who pick up a stone if they see any dog on the street and from those who preach the unholiness of a dog in a man’s life by citing religious textbooks, spinning their interpretation to suit their convenience. Probably, this is the power of money; after all, rich men have many sympathisers. It was Friday morning when I received this message on my WhatsApp group. Looking out from my small apartment window in Dubai, I realised that this could be the much-awaited God-sent opportunity for me and my small venture. What if I find that dog and personally take it to Ravi? I would then get unrestricted access to him, and my struggling start-up would find a client like Ravi’s company. I had visited Ravi’s company many times in that prime locality of this city, but could not make it past that posh lobby and those contract executives. “Oh! It’s just a stupid idea and a daydream. How could I find the Dog and hand it over to Ravi? Looks distant………., but what harm in trying? It’s a weekly off today, as it is,” – was my self-talk. Finally, I set out to find the dog in the streets of the city, planning to eat out, walk a bit and try to spot the dog – not just any dog, bro, but Ravi’s dog. By afternoon, I had walked more miles than I usually do in any average week, and now it was time to meet my girlfriend at that corner café. She laughed her heart out after listening to my day’s engagement. “So what?” said I. “You are nuts,” she said. “Look, it’s not that my product is faulty or my associated services are any substandard, but still the procurement department of Ravi’s company behaves like God’s own. I have been searching for ways to bypass those idiots for a long time, but all my efforts have so far met with silent denials. This could be a game changer,” I explained and continued, “The procurement guys know very well that I am offering much better quality at competitive pricing, but they are too arrogant to acknowledge it. All they care about is their own interests.” “Isn’t it everywhere?” she asked. “Ya, it is, and that’s why vendors like me get left out, and substandard suppliers keep providing products and services most of the time at many such companies. It is now, I have a chance to get in touch with the decision maker directly……., no harm in trying.” She nodded, not clear whether she understood it or not. It was time for me to pay the bill, and after the card swipe, I opened my mobile and that WhatsApp group. It was so disheartening for me to see that someone in the group had tagged the dog’s photo and written just one word – “found.” I thought my half a day’s work had been wasted; the dog has been found. Scrolling a little below, another person tagged – “found” and wrote – “not yet”. I sighed in relief. So, the one who has written – “found,” had forgotten to put a question mark (?), and I thought it was a declaration (!) that the dog has been found. Communication skills – bloody hell. People have forgotten the grammar and even the spellings, and we seem to have been adjusting with the communication that conveys only half the meaning and the rest is assumed to be understood. I recalled an incident from my last employment before I ventured into my own business. The CEO had this habit of meeting with each department head for 15 minutes every week, after which he used to tell his EA to type the minutes of his meetings and circulate them to other departments as well to keep them in the loop. To his dismay, after some time, the CEO started noticing that the departments were not executing what he wanted them to and instead, there seems that the departments weren’t aligned and executing things their own way. The following Tuesday, during the weekly meeting with the production head, he…

How Indian Innovation is Reshaping the Future of Trusted Video Security Chandra ShekharManaging Director, IndiNatus India Private Limited The future of surveillance will not be defined by who manufactures the most cameras. It will be defined by who owns the technology, secures the data, and drives innovation.The global surveillance industry is undergoing a profound transformation. What was once considered a hardware-driven market is rapidly evolving into an ecosystem powered by artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, edge computing, and data intelligence.As nations increasingly recognize surveillance infrastructure as a critical component of national security, technological sovereignty has become a strategic priority. Governments around the world are focusing not only on the performance of surveillance products but also on the origin of technology, security architecture, supply chain integrity, and long-term sustainability.India is no exception.With ambitious initiatives such as Digital India, Smart Cities Mission, Safe City Projects, Critical Infrastructure Protection Programs, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, the country is laying the foundation for a secure and self-reliant digital future.At the heart of this transformation lies a critical question:Can India build world-class surveillance technologies through its own innovation and engineering capabilities?The answer is increasingly becoming – ‘Yes!’ A new chapter for the indian surveillance industry For many years, India’s surveillance market largely relied on imported technologies and global supply chains. While these products accelerated adoption and expanded market access, they also highlighted the need for stronger indigenous capabilities in product engineering, cybersecurity, and technology ownership. Today, the industry is witnessing a paradigm shift. Indian companies are moving beyond assembly and distribution models to develop their own intellectual property, engineering expertise, software platforms, and product ecosystems. This shift is not merely about manufacturing within India. It is about creating technologies within India. It is about building products whose architecture, innovation, and engineering DNA originate from Bharat. The IndiNatus journey: Building technology, not just products When IndiNatus was founded in 2021, the vision was straightforward yet ambitious – Designed. Developed. Built in Bharat. The objective was never limited to branding or assembly. The goal was to create a technology company capable of developing advanced surveillance solutions through indigenous engineering and innovation. This required significant investments in hardware architecture, PCB design & validation, embedded firmware development, AI & Edge computing, cybersecurity engineering, product testing & reliability, mechanical design, and manufacturing engineering. “The global surveillance indus- try is undergoing a profound transformation. What was once considered a hardware-driven market is rapidly evolving into an ecosystem powered by artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, edge computing, and data intelligence” Over the years, IndiNatus has built a multidisciplinary engineering ecosystem focused on creating surveillance solutions tailored for India’s security and operational requirements. The result is a growing portfolio of IP Cameras, NVRs, AI Edge Servers, and intelligent surveillance platforms engineered through in-house capabilities. Why Research & Development matters Technology leadership cannot be imported – it must be created. One of the defining milestones in the IndiNatus journey was the establishment of a dedicated Research and Development center recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India. This recognition validates the company’s commitment to long-term innovation and indigenous technology development. Today, the R&D Center serves as the nucleus for innovation across multiple technology domains including – Video Processing, Artificial Intelligence, Edge Analytics, Cybersecurity, Intelligent Video Management, and Future Surveillance Architectures. In an era where software intelligence increasingly defines product value, sustained investment in R&D has become essential for creating globally competitive technologies. The significance of STQC certification As surveillance systems become deeply integrated into government networks, critical infrastructure, transportation systems, educational institutions, and public safety programs, trust has become a fundamental requirement. The Government of India has introduced stringent quality and security standards to ensure that surveillance products deployed in sensitive environments meet rigorous benchmarks. STQC certification represents one such benchmark. It validates multiple aspects of a product ecosystem, including – Security, Reliability, Functional Integrity, Software Validation, Compliance Requirements, and Quality Processes. Achieving STQC certification is not simply a regulatory milestone. It demonstrates engineering maturity, process discipline, and a commitment to delivering trusted technologies. More importantly, it reinforces confidence among users, system integrators, government agencies, and infrastructure operators. The strategic importance of indigenous surveillance The conversation around indigenous surveillance extends beyond commercial success. It directly impacts the following: National security Critical infrastructure increasingly relies on connected surveillance systems. Indigenous technologies provide greater visibility and control over security architectures. Cybersecurity As surveillance devices become network-connected endpoints, cybersecurity becomes as important as image quality or analytics performance. Economic development Technology development creates high-value employment opportunities across engineering, research, software, manufacturing, and support functions. Innovation ecosystem Local product development encourages growth across semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, AI, embedded systems, and software engineering. Supply chain resilience Domestic capabilities reduce exposure to global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainties. The broader impact extends far beyond a single company or product category. It contributes to India’s technological self-reliance. The future of video surveillance The next decade will redefine the surveillance industry. Artificial Intelligence will transform passive cameras into intelligent decision-making systems. Edge Computing will enable real-time analytics. Cybersecurity will become a core design requirement rather than an afterthought. Video systems will increasingly integrate with smart cities, transportation networks, industrial automation, and public safety platforms. The future belongs to organizations capable of combining innovation, security, intelligence, and reliability into a unified ecosystem. India possesses the talent, ambition, and engineering capability to play a leading role in that future. A milestone for Bharat The story of IndiNatus is ultimately not about one company. It is about what becomes possible when Indian engineering, innovation, and determination come together with a long-term vision. The emergence of indigenous surveillance technologies signals a new chapter for the industry – one where India is not merely a consumer of technology but a creator of technology. As the nation advances toward greater technological sovereignty, companies investing in research, innovation, and intellectual property development will help shape the next generation of secure digital infrastructure. The journey has only begun. But the direction is clear – Designed. Developed. Built in Bharat….

A holistic approach to securing modern IT infrastructure from silicon to software Suresh Chandra –Member GAC (IT Act), Ex. Sr. Dir/ DDG at STQC (MeitY),Ex. Head of CB of Com. Criteria, CCTV, Biometric, GIGW, EPS, TMS,AB Empanelment-SETL. and also a member of ISO/ UEC committee SC27,BIS LITD17, LITD 31, Chairman LITD 25. For years, cybersecurity has primarily focused on protecting software, networks, applications, and data. Organizations invest heavily in firewalls, antivirus solutions, endpoint protection, encryption, identity management, and Security Operations Centres (SOCs). While these investments remain essential, they address only part of today’s security challenge. Modern cyber threats have evolved beyond software vulnerabilities. Increasingly, attackers are targeting the very foundation on which digital systems are built – the hardware itself. A perfectly secured application can still be compromised if the firmware, processor, or underlying semiconductor contains hidden vulnerabilities or malicious modifications. As digital transformation accelerates across governments, enterprises, financial institutions, critical infrastructure, healthcare, defence, and smart cities, securing hardware has become as important as securing software. Cybersecurity must therefore evolve into a truly holistic discipline that encompasses the complete technology stack – from silicon to cloud. Understanding Information Technology (IT) Security Information Technology (IT) security, also known as cybersecurity, is the practice of protecting digital assets – including computer systems, networks, applications, cloud infrastructure, and data – from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, data breaches, and service disruptions. IT security encompasses multiple domains such as network security, endpoint security, application security, cloud security, identity and access management, and incident response. The primary objective is to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and critical services. The Core Pillars: The CIA Triad The foundation of IT security is the CIA Triad, a widely accepted framework that guides the design and implementation of information security policies and controls. Common Cyber Threats Understanding the evolving threat landscape is essential for implementing effective security controls. Security Assurance Before Deployment and Production All components of an organization’s IT infrastructure – including application software, network devices, servers, endpoint devices, and communication channels – must undergo comprehensive security assessment and hardening before deployment into production. Implementing security controls early in the lifecycle helps identify vulnerabilities, reduce cyber risks, and ensure compliance with recognized security standards and best practices. Application Software Network Devices Servers Endpoint Devices Communication Channels Security Objective Before any system enters production, organizations should ensure that: Can We Assume an IT System is Secure After Security Testing? Even when all software components, network devices, servers, endpoints, and communication channels have been thoroughly assessed and hardened in accordance with recognized standards and guidelines, it does not necessarily guarantee that the overall IT system is secure. Traditional cybersecurity assessments primarily focus on software vulnerabilities, configuration weaknesses, and network security. However, these assessments may not detect inherited hardware vulnerabilities, compromised firmware, malicious implants, or supply-chain backdoors embedded within the underlying computing platform. A system may therefore remain vulnerable despite successfully passing all conventional security tests. The Hidden Risks Modern IT devices are built using a complex global supply chain involving multiple vendors respon sible for chip design, fabrication, firmware development, operating systems, drivers, and applications. A compromise at any layer of this technology stack can undermine the security of the entire system. Potential hidden threats include: These threats often operate below the operating system, making them extremely difficult to detect using traditional vulnerability assessment and penetration testing methodologies. Layered Architecture of an IT Device An IT device comprises multiple hardware and software layers that collectively process data and execute instructions. Security must be established across every layer, as compromising a lower layer can undermine all higher layers. System-on-Chip (SoC) The System-on-Chip (SoC) is the physical foundation of the device. It integrates multiple computing components – including the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), memory controllers, cryptographic accelerators, communication interfaces, and input/output (I/O) controllers – onto a single semiconductor chip. “For years, cybersecurity has primarily focused on protecting software, networks, applications, and data. Organizations invest heavily in firewalls, antivirus solutions, endpoint protection, encryption, identity management, and Security Operations Centres (SOCs). While these investments remain essential, they address only part of today’s security challenge” The SoC establishes the hardware Root of Trust. Any compromise at this level such as a hardware Trojan or malicious circuit modification, can bypass security controls implemented in software. Firmware Firmware is low-level software permanently stored in non-volatile memory (e.g., BIOS, UEFI, or embedded firmware). It initializes hardware during system startup, configures critical components, and provides the interface between hardware and the operating system. Because firmware executes before the operating system, compromised firmware can gain complete control over the device while remaining invisible to conventional security tools. Operating System (OS) The operating system (e.g., Linux, Windows, Android, iOS, or embedded RTOS) manages hardware resources, memory, processes, storage, networking, and user access while providing the execution environment for applications. Although operating systems receive regular security updates, they inherently trust the underlying firmware and hardware. Consequently, a compromised lower layer can circumvent OS-level security mechanisms. Device Drivers Device drivers enable communication between the operating system and hardware peripherals such as storage devices, graphics processors, network adapters, printers, and sensors. Poorly designed or malicious drivers can provide attackers with kernel-level privileges, enabling privilege escalation, unauthorized access, or system compromise. Applications Applications constitute the top layer of the software stack and provide user-facing functionality, including web browsers, office suites, databases, enterprise software, and mobile applications. While applications are routinely tested for vulnerabilities using standards such as OWASP, their security ultimately depends on the integrity and trustworthiness of all underlying layers. Security Implication The security of an IT system is only as strong as its lowest trusted layer. If the System-on-Chip, firmware, or boot process is compromised, even perfectly secured applications, operating systems, and networks may be unable to prevent unauthorized access or data exfiltration. Therefore, modern cybersecurity must extend beyond traditional software and network testing to include: A defence-in-depth strategy that spans the entire hardware-to-application stack is essential for building trustworthy and resilient IT systems. As organizations increasingly…

Milind BorkarStrategic Consultant, VICON Although only a small number of airports are using video analytics in a sophisticated manner, there is no question that the technology offers the potential for improving video-based security operations. The questions which the airport must address in considering whether and to what extent video analytics should be deployed are: The false alarm issue is fundamental. A single or even a small number of cameras which false alarm several times a day may be tolerated, but San Diego International Airport (SDIA) is looking at a population of some 400 cameras through the AMP2 expansion program. Even if 10 percent, or 40 cameras, are set up with video analytics, and if all or most of alarms make false alarm several times each day, the alarms would overwhelm the SOC and the system would be shut down. Exterior and interior opportunities for using video analytics at SDIA present different challenges, and have to be treated differently. The video cameras now being used for exterior perimeter surveillance are not suitable for video analytics at night for a variety of reasons including: Better cameras and lenses, and better and more controlled scene lighting, may enable video analytics to be effective for perimeter surveillance, but that needs to be demonstrated. Infrared and thermal cameras may be better choices, as they eliminate the problems of scene illumination and poor visibility, but they, too, must be subject to testing. The following images, recorded by Siemens Corporate Research, illustrate some of the scene variables that have to be dealt with in applying video analytics to exterior surveillance. Scene conditions at night, when target contrast is usually reduced and bright point light sources in the scene may be present (as in the cargo area of SDIA), can be especially challenging. Applying video analytics indoors should present fewer problems. Scene illumination should be under the airport’s control, wind and fog will not be issues, distances will be relatively short etc. That does not, however, avoid the need for careful planning and testing, both of which are prerequisites to realizing effective performance. The potential impact of false alarms from a large number of cameras argues for a minimalist approach in which a few mature video analytic functions are installed and then are subject to rigorous testing in the real airport environment before being extended. Each analytic function will present its own unique requirements. This process starts with defining the minimum functionality needed at each camera site, which is much an airport responsibility as a technical issue; the environment in which the function must perform (camera motion being a critical problem, since video analytics are designed to work with fixed cameras, along with scene illumination); camera placement and aspect needed to achieve the performance objectives; and the maximum false alarm rate that can be tolerated. In this context, being able to do one function very well is more important than doing several functions less well. Of the many offerings available from different vendors, the following list is representative of the video analytic functions that SDIA might consider adopting selectively based on the specific requirements of each situational condition: Variable lengths of time by passenger traffic flow and other objects of variable size and dwell time, and persons who move in and out of the ROI set for associating them with the targeted objects. The function is vulnerable to the presence of other objects of similar size in the camera field of view, target-to-background contrast, the movement of persons in front of and around the object that can grow quickly. Drawing a box (ROI) around an object is the easy part (and the object should occupy 25 percent or more of the field-of-view of the camera for best results). Defining what constitutes an ‘object of interest’ worthy of setting an alarm may be based on criteria such as the amount of time since the object last moved and on rules established for object behavior. Associating objects with owners can be very complicated, especially when other passengers are present and move in and out of the ROI. If a bag enters the terminal lobby with two persons and one or both leave the bag at different times, and one returns but other persons also appear in the ROI, the software will be challenged to associate ‘ownership’ with the proper person and establishing a rule for what constitutes an alarm will be similarly challenged. Heft Detection, Stationary Object Detection, and Loitering Object Detection are variations of the abandoned object function, each with its own peculiarities. Video analytics come in several ‘flavors’ including policy-based, rules-based, and behavior-based – these terms being relatively loosely defined. The classes will often overlap, with each new class increasing detection performance but also computational complexity (and cost). Behavioral analytics, for example, intelligently monitor all the standard detected features of moving objects and build up a concept, over a large period of time, of what motion can be deemed as typical, and thus can be ignored. Events then become triggered by abnormal behavior which the airport operator should define. A pedestrian loitering and/ or approaching a number of different cars in a parking lot in a short period of time, indicating potential criminal activity, could be viewed as abnormal behavior, and consequently generating an event. How the video analytics function is less important than what they deliver for airport security in the real-word environment, whether they be understood by the operators, and whether they be adapted to the moves/ adds/ changes typical of an airport operation. Video analytics are best applied to full resolution (4CIF) images at full frame rate (30 fps), because this presents the greatest amount of information in the shortest time for analysis. Proposals to apply video analytics to CIF images (quarter frame) and at reduced frame rates, typically 7 to 12 fps, are more susceptible to false alarms. The best place to perform live video analytics is at the camera, at the edge of the network, where the analytics can be applied to…