Gaurav Pandey
Young Professional
Security & Strategic Affairs Division, NITI Aayog
Absolute security is a myth! The organisations see their security departments as cost centres and an insurance policy. Therefore, multiple organisations are cutting their security budget and implementing more automation at their sites. India is currently witnessing a huge transformation, through the introduction of AI, cloud computing, IoT and cybersecurity. These integrates well with Security. India has more than 8.9 million security guards, working under challenging conditions. And it is predicted that the services will increase at a rate of 20% over the next few years. With a booming future, the only law that exists for the industry is the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA). According to MHA, there are 26361 active PSARA licences that exist currently, showcasing the number of active private security agencies. Though, there are large number of agencies and guards associated with them, the industry still is falling behind.
The main issue isn’t automation but are as follows:
- No centralized monitoring body.
- Lack of training.
- Low morale among guards.
- Continuous cost cutting due to short term cost saving.
- Continuous changing of internal policies & implementing reforms.
- Weak leadership in higher hierarchy.
- Uneducated/ less educated and unregulated sector.
- Lack of people from industrial background or pure security background.
- Weak basic infrastructure at sites/ plants.
- Lack of information sharing.
- Lack of business operational mindset among security officers.
- Lack of women in the physical security sector.
- No proper salary mandate and disbursement date for the guards.
- Low security awareness amongst people.
- No updating of the PSAR Act.
- No categorization of security standards based on site criticality (e.g., factory vs. strategic facilities).
- Absence of periodic government-led audits.
- No mandatory licensing or certification for individuals.
- No defined threshold or performance standard for agencies.
- Lack of mandatory compliance with ISO 31000:2018 (Risk Management Standards).
Though the security industry has multiple issues, it is the recent technological advancements that are both enhancing the industry as well as killing it. Eventually, it is the guard whose physical presence is necessary to handle a threat at the location, rather than automation technology. On the other hand, the security automation has huge costs, and certain companies have monopoly over it.
Further, automation comes with many multiple technical issues like:
- Physical/ site/ environment limitation.
- Privacy concerns.
- Integration/ technical integration.
- Compliance and regulation issues.
- Need for human intervention.
- False positives.
- Cyber security concerns.
- Lack of training (for operators).
- Maintenance of automation systems.
- High cost.
With time, the automation systems are getting better, and therefore organisations are focusing on decreasing the manpower, and increasing automation – but at what cost? Will this decision to enhance automation impact a large number of guarding manpower or will it be a capacity enhancer? Only time will tell. What we can do is only use automation, when necessary, with proper Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The chief security officer and senior security manager should know and choose their automation systems wisely and should know when and what to use where.
For faster growth of the sector, policy decisions must focus on:
- Formulizing a company.
- Amendment of PSAR Act.
- Use of Ex-CISF veterans, rather than police/army.
- Training and awareness (certification programmes compliance).
- Setting of basic/ standard compliance, Benchmark for the sector.
- Focusing on deployment of security personnel based on geography, size, industry etc.
- Focusing on safety of women & children.
- Need for public private partnership.
- Globalising the sector.
- Empowering the security personnel and catering to their hygiene needs.
- Programme to support the mental health of security personnel.
- Regular audits of security agencies and guards at site.
As the physical security of two sites can never be same, the physical security operations of different nations differ likewise.
Few examples are:
- United Kingdom – At ports in the port police force.
- Canada – Employed in Railway (Canada Pacific Railway & Canada National Railway) as private police force.
- Australia – In traffic management, and coast guard surveillance and primary protection.
- United States – At Airport, controlling major airport operations including conducting passenger and baggage check.
- Europe – Armed private security personnel are used for transporting prisoners and guarding prisons.
- Germany – Guarding nuclear power plants, military compounds and managing traffic.
- Netherlands – Watching over fishing quotas.
- Sweden – Supporting fire brigade services.
The private security industry can play a bigger role in the critical domains and can help in efficient utilisation of our forces, and can even be a backend arm for the local police & the para-military (CISF, CRPF etc). The modern physical security should not be limited to a wooden stick, but a modern security professional should be well equipped with sound knowledge of security, and the use of modern technology to enhance his capability. Technology can amplify human capability and help address the increasingly complex threat landscape – but only when used within a well-designed operational ecosystem. In a diverse and geographically complex country like India, the challenge is not just adopting automation, but adapting it to the local context.
Conclusion
The future of private security in India lies in integration, regulation, and professionalization. With the right mix of human expertise, advanced technology, and policy reform, the industry can become a powerful force multiplier – not just for businesses, but for national security as a whole.
About the Author Gaurav Pandey completed his MBA in Homeland Security from National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar. After MBA he got placed in Adani group as a Project Security Coordinator in Adani Green Energy Ltd. From past two years he is in NITI Aayog in the security and strategy affairs division.
