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India’s video surveillance market alone generated over $2.026 billion earlier this year and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2% through 2030. Meanwhile, the broader Indian security market was valued at $8.77 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach approximately $16.97 billion by 2030. These figures are not just about business growth; They are undergoing a tectonic shift: security and surveillance solutions are becoming core infrastructure, not just support.
In this difficult geopolitical era, where trade sanctions, supply-chain shocks and technology restrictions are no longer rare, India must no longer become a passive consumer of strategic technologies, especially in security. We must become guardians of our resilience. That change is not optional; It is existential. Historically, military power has defined security. But today, connectivity, data, networks and intelligence systems matter just as much. A border fence is only as useful as the sensors, command systems and secure links behind it.
Global events remind us that “technological denial” is a geopolitical lever. Imagine, if in some moment of conflict or tension, critical components of India’s surveillance or communications stack were remotely disabled or restricted. Suddenly, the invincibility of modern systems turns into fragility. India’s digital push through initiatives like Digital India, Smart Cities and Self-reliant India gives us a unique head start. We are creating the demand, the institutions and even the data pipelines. But unless we remove the strategic shortcomings, we will remain exposed.
When we talk about “reliable alternatives”, we don’t mean “good-enough alternatives” or imported imports. It means trust. Communications and data must remain under Indian control, free from foreign backdoors or opaque dependencies. It also means resilience, systems that continue to operate under stress, in remote areas, during network outages, or even in crisis situations. Ultimately, it means intelligence. Real-time analytics and contextual insights enable proactive, not reactive, responses. This definition is not rhetorical but practical, because just as a fort is only as strong as its weakest gate, similarly a nation’s security infrastructure is only as reliable as its least sovereign node.
A modern nation cannot treat security and governance as separate silos. Our GPS-enabled Emergency Response Management System (ERMS) is an example of this integration. In a flood, accident, terrorist incident, or urban crisis, government agencies, police, ambulance, and disaster-management teams often work in silos with delayed or fragmented information. ERMS combines location intelligence, secure communications, and live analytics so that every actor can see a shared, real-time dashboard. The result: better allocation of resources, faster response and ultimately lives saved. Since this entire pipeline is built and hosted within India, we avoid dependencies that adversaries could exploit. It is the hallmark of a local, trustworthy and decisive “trusted choice”.
Surveillance today is far from passive “eyes on the street.” Cameras have become the data engines powering command centers, and radios now serve as critical links in real-time response networks. Modern AI-enabled cameras can detect anomalies, track crowd behavior and auto-trigger alerts with data stored securely within Indian jurisdiction to prevent leaks or interference. Similarly, advanced digital walkie-talkies and LTE radios are designed to remain functional where networks fail in remote areas, during disasters, or during infrastructure breakdowns, ensuring frontline responders remain connected when it matters most.
Nations no longer compete through tanks or aircraft, but through control of technology, chips, firmware, intelligence layers, and standards. India must ask itself: do we really have the technology that protects us? The answer should definitely be yes. While Make in India and self-reliant India laid the foundation, the next step is to build a secure, collaborative ecosystem where industry, education, defense and startups co-innovate. Core technologies, from sensors to operating systems to analytics, must be conceived and built in India, based on trust, sustainability and shared purpose. True sovereignty also means responsibility: developing modular, energy-efficient and reusable solutions that make our security infrastructure resilient not only to geopolitical shocks, but also to environmental challenges.
Every CCTV camera, GPS tracker and secure radio is more than a device; Together, they form the backbone of India’s sovereign digital defense architecture. When these systems are native, interoperable, and intelligent, they do more than just security; They show power, exert force, and build trust. Dependence on external systems is no longer acceptable. The goal should be clear: to continue to innovate for security, to build domestically for sovereignty, and to strengthen agencies, industries, and communities through secure technology. In this new geopolitical era, security freedom is the truest form of freedom, and credible alternatives are its cornerstone.
This article is written by Venkatesh Palanidas, Chief Strategy Officer, Arya OmniTalk and Arvind by Syntel.
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