23-24 MARCH, 2017India Habitat Centre,

Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Indian Army Corps of Signals

India’s International Conference & Exposition on Military Communication

INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLED HUMAN RESOURCE

FOR DIGITAL ARMY

INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLED HUMAN RESOURCE

FOR DIGITAL ARMY

MESSAGES

The contours of military operations have undergone an unprecedented transformation in recent years. In the past, operational requirements were the catalyst for evolution of technologies. Today, fast paced Technological Advancements have become the driver for metamorphosis of Operational Paradigms. This has manifested itself most prominently in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) which has become a vital Force Multiplier in the modern digitised battlefield.

Having been a witness to the phenomenal success of DEFCOM 2015, I am enthused by the theme for DEFCOM 2017 ‘Infrastructure and Skilled Human Resource for Digital Army’. DEFCOM provides a seminal platform for synergised and holistic collaboration between our Armed Forces, Indian Industry, Academia and R & D. We as a nation have some of the brightest minds who are defining technological advancements internationally. We need to harness these home-grown capabilities to usher state-of-the-art ICT into our ‘Digital Army’.

I am sanguine that DEFCOM 2017 will nurture the synergised National endeavour for not just the ‘Digital Army’ but for self-reliance in ICT for India. The recent rollout of the Defence Communication Network, the first Pan India Tri-Services network, and the Mobile Cellular Communication System, which has re-defined the conduct of Counter Insurgency / Counter Terrorism (CI / CT) operations, are current benchmarks for realisation of the ‘Digital Army’. These need to be emulated and further improved upon under enabling policies of the ‘Make in India’ initiative so that improvements in provision of operational communications to the forward most edge of the battlefield, down to the last soldier, can be affected.

I compliment the Corps of Signals for its commendable service to the Nation and especially for realisation of the vision of ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’. I wish the Corps of Signals and CII the very best for conjoint success of DEFCOM 2017.

Indian Army

Advancements in commercial Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been successfully capitalized in recent years for military usage. This is also epitomized by the giant strides taken by the Corps of Signals in provision of operational communications. The technological advancements in the recent past in the fields of broadband wireless communications, spectrum efficiencies and cyber security need to be leveraged for a ‘Digital Army’. I find the organisational recognition of these requirements encouraging.

The promising relevance of Information and Networks in the military context needs to be recognized and supported whole heartedly. Information Superiority is vital to the conduct of all operations as it has truly transcended its conventional boundaries. The traditional pivotal role of Corps of Signals in the pursuit of Non-Kinetic operations needs to be capitalized upon to garner its potential for fur ther improvements in kinetic operations for true Network Centric Warfare (NCW) capabilities for the ‘Digital Army’.

While I compliment Indian Industry, both private and public, Academia and R & D on the successful strides in the past, I also exhort all of you to steer the journey towards India’s ‘Digital Army’ with all your might. Self-reliance in ICT shall be the key to a strong Defence Industrial Base and needs to leverage the visionary initiative of ‘Make in India’. I am sanguine that DEFCOM 2017 will lead to tangible and implementable initiatives as in the past.

I wish the Corps of Signals and CII all the very best for successful conduct of DEFCOM 2017.

“JAI HIND”

“JAI HIND”

Manohar ParrikarRaksha Mantri

thDate: 6 January 2017Place: New Delhi

Dr Subhash BhamreRaksha Rajya Mantri

thDate: 9 January 2017Place: New Delhi

In the era of Net Centric Warfare, it is understood that Sensors, Shooters and Decision Makers have to be ubiquitously connected to each other, independent of their Platform or, Service affiliations and their geographic location. For this to happen, it is imperative that the Information Grid of India’s ‘Digital Army’ be high-capacity, flexible, robust and secure. It also needs to be understood by all concerned that while the currency on such a network will be ‘Information’, its true value will lie in the ‘Capability Dependencies’ that such a grid would be able to foster and sustain across all Theatres of Operation.

The theme for DEFCOM ‘Infrastructure and Skilled Human Resource for Digital Army’ as well as the underlying sub themes with focus on Tri-Service Net-Centricity, are truly potent. The focus on harnessing of commercial and non-military technologies for military gains, satellite and space applications, and most importantly on ‘The Man behind the Machine’ is invigorating as the insights generated will be beyond mere ‘Technology Scans’. These reflect the integrated approach essential at Strategic, Operational and Tactical levels. I compliment the Corps of Signals on setting the stage for truly insightful deliberations.

The collaboration between the Armed Forces, Indian Industry, Academia and R&D will be the bedrock, on which Info-structures and Networks will need to be evolved to meet challenges across the spectrum of conflict. DEFCOM is the formative and defining platform for such a synergised evolution of the wherewithal for the digitised battlefield. I look forward to tangible outcomes and wish Corps of Signals and CII all the very best for its successful conduct.

BIPIN RAWATGeneral

Chief of the Army Staff

thDate: 10 January 2017Place: New Delhi

“JAI HIND”

Advances in communications and information systems today

enable Shared Situational Awareness down to the forward edge of

the battlefield and Collaborative Decision Making at all levels. This

will result in a much faster tempo of operations in the digitised

Tactical Battle Area. A ubiquitously available Information Grid with

robust security and converged voice, video and data services for

all fixed and mobile users needs to be developed indigenously.

Corps of Signals, in association with the Confederation of Indian

Industry (CII), is organising DEFCOM INDIA 2017 on 23-24

March 2017. Luminaries from Indian Industry, Academia, R&D

Organisations and Defence services will assemble to analyse

critical aspects for development of Information, Communications,

Technology, Electronics and Cyber (ICTEC) infrastructure to meet

the requirements of India’s Digital Army. The objective is to harness

informed perspectives to weave a synergistic National Endeavour

towards equipping our Defence Forces for Net Centric Warfare.

THEME: INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLED HUMAN RESOURCE FOR DIGITAL ARMY

Technical Session 1 – Trends for India’s ‘Digital Army’ – An Operations Perspective. The faster pace of technology evolution and trends need to be harnessed for ICTEC infrastructure which is capable of transforming Information Superiority into Combat Power.

• Operational Exploitation of Handheld Mobile Devices.

• Standardisation of ICT Infrastructure for seamless Tri-Service Integration.

• Spectrum Management for Tactical Networks.

• Analytics as a Force Multiplier for Digital Army.

• Strategies to utilise Non-Army owned / Commercial Networks.

•

• Operationalising Cloud Technologies for National C4I2SR architecture.

• Social Media based Information Operations across the Spectrum of Conflict.

• Defensive Information Operations for the Digitised Battlespace.

Applications of Internet of Things in the Tactical Battle Area.

• Cost Performance Analysis of Military Ruggedisation.

• Optimising commercial IP Technologies for augmented efficiency in Captive Military Networks.

• Analytics and Big Data to Support Decision Making.

• Exploiting COTS for Non-Conventional Operations.

• COTS vis-à-vis Custom-Built – Challenges in Project Implementation.

• Harnessing Non-Military Technologies for Military Gains.

• Vulnerabilities of Open Standards vis-a-vis Customised Solution.

• Enabling Obsolescence Management of COTS through Fast Track Procurement of ICT.

• Strategies to leverage COTS to enable subsequent Indigenisation-Incremental Development.

• Spectrum and Bandwidth - Conservation and Efficiency of Usage.

Technical Session 2 – Global Trends in Communications – A Technology Perspective.Commercial advancements offer shorter induction time-frames but challenges of survivability, reliability, robustness and resilience inimical to military requirements and the same need to be addressed.

Technical Session 3 – Satellite and Space Applications and Trends in Enhancement of Operational Security.Need to explore and exploit Satellite and Space applications for supporting Digital Battle Space. Mitigation of passive, active and embedded threats to military networks and Cyber Security.

• Exploiting mobile communications based on Satellite On The Move

(SOTM).

• Techniques for Bandwidth optimisation over Satellite Networks.

• Security Imperatives – Transformation from GPS to Indian Regional

Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS).

• Need for Dedicated Army Satellite.

• Architecting Security Controls between Data Owning Organisations and

Data Managing Administrators.

•

Tactical Networks.

• Holistic Network Level Security for Military Systems.

• Building Capture Resilience into Crypto Products.

• Overcoming Challenges in Evaluation of Software Based Crypto

Products.

Operational Need and Feasibility of Multi-Layered Crypto Solutions for

HR Session 4 – Skilling Human Capital and Re-Orienting Organisational Structures for Contemporary

Battlefield Domain.Mitigating Information Overload for Decision Makers, defining technology thresholds for skilled configuration and operation of Information Systems and organisational re-orientation to enable seamless collaboration are emerging challenges for the Digital Army.

• Information Overload vis-à-vis speedy Decision Making – Training Models

for requisite Leadership Transformation.

• Induction Level Technology Thresholds.

• Industry Participation in creation of Skilled Workforce for Digital Army.

• Expertise Sharing in Army through Collaboration Tools.

•

• Addressing Social Domain Challenges to Tri-Service Net-centricity.

• Human Capital Challenges to Net Centricity: An Indian Perspective.

• Leveraging Expert Skill Set of Civilian Work Force.

Aligning Organisational Structures for a Future Digital Army.

Sensors, Shooters and Decision Makers will need to be

connected independent of platform / service affiliations and

geographical locations. Such networks must leverage evolving

technologies especially broadband wireless technologies and

provide reliable Information Security. The adaptation of

Commercial technologies must result in infrastructure which

provides flexibility in deployment and ease in configuration by

suitably skilled human resource.

EXHIBITIONAn exhibition will be held concurrently in which participants from the industry are invited to showcase their products.

PARTICIPANT PROFILEFollowing are invited to participate:• Experts from the industry • Serving and Retired Officers from the Three Services• Academia and Professionals from R&D Organisations • Executives from PSUs and Private Industry

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Confederation of Indian IndustryIndia Habitat CentreCore 4 A, 4th Floor, Lodhi Road New Delhi-110003 IndiaTele: 91- 11- 43546244 Fax: +91 -11- 24682226Email: defence@cii.in

Director TCSPMO Tactical Communication SystemDirectorate General of SignalsRoom No-613, 'A' Wing Sena Bhawan, Rajaji MargIHQ of MOD (Army) DHQPO, New Delhi-110011Tele: +91-11-23018945, +91 8447759706Email for articles / papers: tcs-dgsigs@nic.in

Indian Army

23 MARCH 17 0900-1000 Inaugural Address and Presentation of Mementoes

1000-1020 Inauguration of Exhibition

1020-1030 Tea

1100-1300 Technical Session 1: Trends for India's 'Digital Army' –

An Operations Perspective

1300-1430 Lunch, Exhibition and Networking

1430-1630 Technical Session 2: Global Trends in Communications –

A Technology Perspective

2000 onwards Networking Dinner

24 MARCH 17 0900-1100 Technical Session 3: Satellite and Space Applications and

Trends in Enhancement of Operational Security

1100-1130 Tea

1130-1330 HR Session 4: Skilling Human Capital and Re-Orienting Organisational

Structures for Contemporary Battlefield Domain

1330-1415 Valedictory Session

1430 onwards Networking Lunch

THEME: INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLED HUMAN RESOURCE FOR DIGITAL ARMY

DATE TIME (Hr) EVENT

Corps of Signals