Eye in the Sky (EiS)

..Hats off to the ISRO team for placing the RISAT in the orbit at 550 kilometers up in the sky. The RISAT with Israeli signature on it has been credited with a capability to see through weather and darkness at targets even as small as a car. It is also the first time perhaps that a University designed Anusat was also launched simultaneously. The coming together of the universities and ISRO is a healthy sign that would help the universities to raise their bench marks in research related projects.

As far as the RISAT is concerned, the pay load of a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAT) would provide the edge required to carry out spying missions. The Chairman of ISRO apparently did not like the word"spy sat", naturally.He said"there is nothing like a spy satellite in our agenda. We have only earth observation satellite, communication satellite and scientific satellite."RISAT-2 is another earth observation satellite. I want to clarify that", he said, adding "there is nothing like a spy satellite at ISRO". Irrespective of this clarification,there can be no doubts that this technology also would come under the classification of "dual use"(civilian +military)by our understanding. The satelite has a certain capability and it is for the users to decide what to do with such data available both to the civil and military planners. What is also clear is that the spin offs of the successful space prgrammes have brought in rich dividends to the defence capability of the country. Whether it is the EiS, remote sensing for civilian use, launch of long range missiles to give us the strategic deterrant capability, communications, television and research in related areas, India has gone from strength to strength thanks to the committed team and the kind of support given to them.

While all the initial remote sensing was monitored at Hyderabad, the services got their own receiving stations at Delhi with the commissioning of DIPAC.With the levels of sophistication being achieved by the terrorists and Non State Actors, the spy satellite should help us particularly along the land and sea borders. It is hoped that the concerned agencies have chalked out the way ahead to optimise the data received by the new satellite up there providing critical data including in inclement weather.

It is just not enough to obtain data from the new toy. More importantly, it would be necessary to ensure that there is a mechanism to act on such quality inputs with out fail . The integration of the strategic/tactical data in the scheme of things for those protecting the borders, be it the BSF, Army, Navy, Coast Guard or the newly created marine police wing, needs to be done post haste, to see that the advantages conferred by the new monitoring satellite is not wasted.

The situation can be equated to some of the pictures of those trying to infiltrate along the LoC;captured by thermal/IR devices by the military/BSF and released by the media. While the modern devices were able to detect their presence and the efforts by them to breach the defences, how was this input to be used , to be neutralise the threat by preemptive action remained a question mark. The use of the drones by the US forces in attacking the Taliban in the mountains on the western border of Pakistan illustrates that there is a method and technology available provided there is a willingness. If for instance, it is known that the terrorists are just marking time to cross the LoC, then it is just not enough to know their presence and do nothing about it. Allowed to cross,those lying in wait would infiltrate our borders and inflict heavy civilian casuality by terrorist acts.

There have been ample warnings,recently, about the possible sneaking in of trained cadres in tou our areas before elections to create chaos particularly in the J&K areas.In additon to the technical ability to detect these movements, there has to be political will to engage them and neutralise the infiltrators on the basis of pre emptive action in self defence. It is time that India acted with firmness in tackling terrorism by utilising all the technical and military means at its command.