The elite counter-terrorist contingency force National Security Guard (NSG) has instituted a “NSG Counter-IED Innovator/Breakthrough Innovation Award” and invited nominations from the paramilitary forces in order to effectively counter the IED menace through innovative and advanced new technology.
The award is aimed at fuelling research and development in the counter-IED domain and to bring the security forces, industries and academia together to get involved in the start-ups for developing home grown solutions to mitigate the challenges and requirements of the Forces.
The idea behind the institution of the award by NSG is not only to find a solution to fulfill its own requirement of technologically advanced counter-IED equipment, but also to give more thrust to research and development in the domain and to bring together expertise of the Forces, academia and the industry to make use of the “Make in India” initiatives for the benefit of the agencies and the country as a whole, according to a document of the NSG circulated to other paramilitary forces seeking nominations for the award.
The move is also aimed at involving the Start-Ups to focus more on conceiving and developing technologically advanced counter-IED equipment to fulfill the requirements of the security forces in order to achieve self-sufficiency.
Several lives of Security Forces personnel as well as civilians are lost every year in explosions of buried and hidden IEDs planted by the anti-national elements.
A new threat has emerged from rogue drones carrying IEDs which can penetrate into high security zones and carry out IED attacks. Loss of precious lives could be saved if there is a proven technology for detection, inactivation and safe disposal of all kinds of IEDs. “Thus, it is imperative for Security Forces, industries and academia to come and work together to put their experiences and expertise to work out a better solution for the IED challenges posed by the anti-national elements. . It is appreciated that the subject award will surely act as a stimulator to encourage the Start-Ups, scientists, academicians and other enthusiasts to come up with innovative counter-IED technology to mitigate the IED menace in the country,” reads the NSG document.