Eminent scientist from Stanford University, Arogyaswami J. Paulraj, has said it is time India joined the club of countries developing computing communications technology.
“The world over, military technology is increasingly relying on civil technology base. But India is not a participant in civil computing communications and IT technology development,” he said, urging the country to take urgent measures to address the problem.
Dr. Paulraj, the father of Indian sonar technology and a recipient of the Padma was delivering the keynote address at the international conference on sonar systems and sensors, ICONS-2018, organised by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL).
He said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and unmanned autonomous platforms were fast altering the military landscape, allowing next-gen soldiers to focus on mission rather than operating their tools. “Equipment and organisational modernisation are important to improve manpower efficiencies, ability to deal with harsh environments, rapid response, 24x7 presence, and new mission capabilities beyond human limits,” said Dr. Paulraj, who chairs the Union Telecom Department’s Steering Committee to deliberate and finalise Vision, Mission, Goals, and Roadmaps for 5G India 2020.
NPOL Director S. Kedarnath Shenoy outlined the growth of the laboratory from a fleet support laboratory of the Navy to a ‘system laboratory’ of the DRDO engaged in the development of sonar and allied technologies. “From the Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull Mounted (APSOH), the first indigenous sonar inducted into the Navy, the lab made giant strides developing Hull Mounted Sonar Advanced (HUMSA), Hull Mounted Variable Depth (HUMVAD), the third-generation sonar system HUMSA-NG, the first indigenously developed integrated submarine sonar and tactical fire control system Panchendriya, submarine sonar suite Ushus and Payal with state-of-the-art processing systems, and towed sensor array of sonar with fire control system called Maareech among other systems,” he said.
