Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, India’s Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, emphasizes the crucial role of advanced tech and spatial visualization to find solutions to complex challenges in the Indo-Pacific region
New Delhi, June 11: The 14th edition of Indo-Pacific Geo Intelligence Forum kickstarts on the theme Multi-Domain regional security.
The two-day event will throw light on the combined power of geospatial intelligence, space-based assets, and cutting-edge innovation to tackle emerging threats in the strategic region, which is the fastest-growing region of the world as well as a critical avenue of global trade and commerce.
Lt. Gen AKS Chandele, President, Defense, Internal Security, and Public Safety, Geospatial World, set the tone of the conference by emphasizing that the importance of Indo-Pacific cannot be understated.
“Indo-Pacific is the region of hope since it is an economic powerhouse, and nearly half of the world’s population reside here”, adds Lt. Gen Rakesh Kapoor, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff ( Information Systems and Coordination)
“Militaries in this region require geospatial tech to gain competitive advantage over their adversaries. Indo-pacific is a theatre of rivalries”.
Enormous Domain
“The vastness of the Indo-pacific, stretching from Gulf of Oman in the west to the US pacific coast in the east, isn’t hidden from anywhere. There’s a strong maritime aspect to the region. Over 50% of the world’s trade, and 90% of India’s trade passes from here. However, the recent maritime incidents are concerning”, says Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief, Indian Naval Staff
“There has been a significant increase in piracy and IUU fishing which remains a global menace, jeopardizing livelihoods and economic growth. Contraband smuggling, including narcotics, is also on the rise. Illegal human trafficking is also a serious crime. Maritime incidents such as collision, fire, search & rescue remain some of the most widely recorded in the region”, adds Vice Admiral Sobti.
Countering Threats
“The existence of non-traditional threats requires the ability to detect them and act upon them. Geo-strategic landscape of Indo-Pacific has continued to evolve. Ukraine conflict and Israel-Hamas war has compelled extra-regional forces to look at the region. Indo-Pacific is also the region of US and China rivalry”, Vice Admiral Sobti further adds.
Surveillance is also a key issue for the region. The impact of modern tech to mitigate threats has never been higher, particularly space-based assets, unmanned systems, data, and imagery. Geospatial is an area where one can push the boundaries. These are critical enablers for maritime domain awareness.
