Indian border guards to rely on startups with AI technology

Using the data collected from a database, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) wants to identify suspicious persons and vehicles using artificial intelligence based sensors and other electronic devices for the Indian Borders.

SSB and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have launched a hackathon to develop low-cost homemade solutions for effective border management as a part of the initiative DRISHTI, which aims to improve the overall border security scenario and check illegal intrusion drone-based activities. 

Participants will be required to develop innovative solutions for detecting suspicious/unauthorized vehicles, drone-based surveillance tools, and geospatial mapping of vulnerable areas along the International border. The SSB will use a database of collected information to identify suspicious persons and vehicles using Artificial Intelligence based sensors. These data include audio, video, text, and images.

Read More: Artificial Intelligence in Military Drones: How is the World Gearing up and What does it mean?

MIETY has invited startups, innovative MSME firms, and research companies to submit their ideas as part of this process. The selected participants will have an opportunity to create and develop future security technologies for homeland and other internal projects with the SSB. 

In line with the Government’s Make in India Initiative, various future-ready applications are considered and launched amid the current geopolitical security environment. ASIGMA, the Army Secure IndiGeneous Messaging Application, is a contemporary messaging application recently launched by the Indian Army. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Army has pursued automation and progress towards paperless operations. In addition to ASIGMA, numerous applications will be deployed via the Indian Army’s captive pan network as ASIGMA is expected to amplify the Army’s efforts.
Secretary Ajay Sawhney and SSB Director General Kumar Rajesh Chandra launched the hackathon DRISHTI (Development of Research Indigenous Solutions Hackathon for Technological Innovations) in the national capital. There will be two winners in each challenge, receiving ₹10 Lakh and ₹5 Lakh, respectively. The SSB was established after the 1962 Sino-Indian war to guard the borders between Nepal and Bhutan.