A 'Make in India drone being showcased at MILIPOL exhibition in New Delhi

New Delhi: The power of indigenous weapons, produced under the 'Make in India' initiative, was demonstrated at the three-day international event for Indo-Pacific MILIPOL India on Friday.

Some of the weapons displayed at the event have already been inducted into the Indian Army, and many more will be inducted in times to come.

Dedicated to internal security, the exhibition saw the participation of countries including USA, Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, France, which showcased their latest trends and technologies like drones, guns, and missiles.

Clarence Beecham, ideaForge's general manager, said that with the induction of drone technology into our country, the surveillance and security systems could be improved as army personnel would not have to undergo the hardships of walking at thousands of feet every day.

He also said that with this technological advancement, India will remain safer as army personnel will be able to monitor every adversary at any place.

"To cover an area of, let's say, 5 kilometres, people who are deployed there know those hardships. I know what difficulty they are facing. With the induction of drone technology into our country, the surveillance and security systems of my country could be so much better because they will not have to undergo those hardships every day to walk at 20,000 feet."

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' policy, Beecham said that many people are reaching out to India to produce drones, so employment opportunities have risen and is also boosting the country's economy. Beecham emphasised that the government is making regulations that are helping in the manufacturing of drones.

"Thanks to the government, there has been a policy of 'Make in India', which is very strong as of now. Most tenders that we attend and most people that we address all want to have 'Made in India' drones. It is providing employment to our own people and boosting the economy. The government is making regulations for us that make it easier for us to manufacture drones. So it is good for our economy. I think we will add a lot to the economy as an enterprise," he said.

Meanwhile, under the 'Make in India initiative', Air Vice Marshal Tanmoy Roy has built a mobile hospital, Aarogya Maitri, which can reach any site of disaster in the country.

He said that to save victims, the content of the hospital is divided into 72 parts so it can be carried on the shoulder, by bicycle, scooter, truck, motorcycle, or any other means. He also said that due to the initiative, the treatment of the victims can start early at places where big trailers or trucks are unable to reach.

"This Aarogya Maitri is essentially a mobile hospital that can reach everywhere in the country. In flood situations, earthquakes cause various flood slides in all areas they can reach. Because the whole medical hospital has been divided into 72 elements and 72 elements into 36 plus 36 sets, in any disaster, especially in far-flung areas, we are not able to reach those remote areas. So, the aim is to reach the main disaster site within the first hour," Air Vice Marshal Roy said.

After delivering insights on current challenges at the conference, Joint CP Security, Delhi Police, Sanjay Kumar Jain told ANI that drones are an emerging technology that has benefits for law enforcement agencies.

The Delhi police have a little setup with a drone unit, and we are in the process of recruiting for better technology, he said, adding that they are using the face recognition system and their main purpose is to attack criminals.

"As you are aware, drones are an emerging technology that has multiple benefits, especially for law enforcement agencies. So, Delhi police have a little setup with a drone unit, and we are in the process of recruiting for using better technology, and maybe very soon we will have a full-fledged drone operating in Delhi. We are also using the face recognition system (FRS), and the prime purpose is to attack the criminals," he said.

MILIPOL India, a new addition to the MILIPOL International Network of events dedicated to internal security, is being hosted in Delhi's Pragati Maidan.

Inter Ads Exhibition Pvt. Ltd., India, and Comexposium, France, are organising the event with the support of the Ministry of the Interior of France, India's Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of External Affairs.