By Shivangi Khurana
The 14th edition of the Geointelligence Forum, hosted by Geospatial World, emerged as a cornerstone event promoting cooperation, innovation, and a shared vision toward fostering a resilient and secure future for both the region and the global community at large. This pinnacle event, titled the ‘Indo-Pacific’ flagship edition, held its second annual convening at the Indo-Pacific Geointelligence Forum (IPGF) on the 11th and 12th of June, 2024, at the Vivanta in Dwarka, New Delhi. The Indo-Pacific region, spanning an extensive geographic canvas from the Gulf of Oman in the west to the Pacific coast of the United States in the east, holds unparalleled strategic importance to ‘multi-domain regional security’; thus, the IPGF was anchored on the theme of “Resilient Multi-Domain Regional Security – Land + Sea + Air + Space + Cyberspace.” Prone to maximum natural disasters, home to 40% of the world’s population, the Indo-Pacific region faces intense pressure, particularly in East Asia. The security of the Indo-Pacific region holds strategic global importance since initial indications suggest discontent with the framework not addressing trade and tariff issues. This underscores the critical need for robust and resilient defense mechanisms in today’s complex global landscape.
The Indo-Pacific region, densely populated and home to over half of the global population, spans the Indian Ocean, the Western Pacific Ocean, and the surrounding nations. This includes major international players like China, India, Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asian countries. This region is critical globally, covering 65% of the world’s oceanic expanse and 25% of its terrestrial area. With a competitive atmosphere among the nations within, the security situation in the Indo-Pacific remains highly delicate. The region is a significant economic powerhouse, contributing to nearly 60% of the worldwide GDP and driving two-thirds of global economic expansion. It also houses seven of the most important military forces in the world. Moreover, a substantial portion of the world’s shipping, nearly half of all maritime commerce, traverses through the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing its strategic importance in global trade networks.
Over 500 delegates from more than 200 national and international organizations attended this defense technology forum to gather a distinguished cadre of military leaders, government officials, internal security forces, technology and industry luminaries, and academic thought leaders. Together, they engaged in pivotal discussions about the transformative impact of the new technological ecosystem on geospatial innovation and its integral application across varied defense sector operations, underscoring the critical need for robust and resilient defense mechanisms in today’s complex global landscape. The Forum, a platform for global engagement, policy promotion, intellectual guidance, and business expansion, seeks to create a reliable technological platform by combining geospatial technology with emerging advancements, specifically by merging geospatial and artificial intelligence (GEOAI). This effort intends to promote discussions among various services, bringing together diverse country capabilities for conversations on mutual interests, high-level dialogues, and technological progress. Also, there are disputes over the Spratly Islands, which are rich in oil and natural gas reserves and involve six nations.
On the 11th of June 2024, the Tango Ballroom was more than a venue; it was a battleground where strategies for the future were drawn, not with swords, but with the might of words and wisdom, and the day ignited at 8 am with a gathering that set the stage for what would be an epoch-making dialogue in the realms of military and geospatial technology. The program commenced with a welcome address by Lt Gen AKS Chandele PVSM AVSM, a renowned military strategist and a key figure in the Indo-Pacific defense community, highlighting the Indo-Pacific maritime domain’s immense strategic, economic, and cultural importance on the global stage. The event swiftly transitioned into a series of heavyweight addresses from military stalwarts like Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor and Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, each layering the morning with profound insights. The esteemed chief guest of the forum was Gen Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, and YSM, a decorated military leader whose valuable insights added a lot of depth and perspective to the discussions. His oration was not just heard but felt, evoking a sense of duty and forward momentum among the attendees. This moment of inspiration was aptly followed by Sanjay Kumar’s Vote of Thanks, encapsulating the gratitude and the collective resolve of those present and leaving the audience inspired by the collective wisdom shared. This collective wisdom and inspiration will shape the future of the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The audience cheered with applause as Lt Gen RS Raman, AVSM, YSM (DGMI), and Royston Ong (Business Development Manager (National Security) – APAC, Esri) presented their special address.
The day was designed to challenge, inform, and inspire through a meticulous lineup of four plenary sessions that delved deep into themes of geospatial technology’s role in regional security, resilient space infrastructure, cyber resilience, and the next-generation applications in defense. Each session, spanning an insightful hour, was enriched with expert knowledge and strategic insights from prominent panelists, starting with plenary one at 11 am with V ADM Ls Pathania (Chief Hydrographer, Govt of India) at the chair breaking the insightful discussions of the panelists– Dr. Prateek Sharma, Maj Gen (Dr) Ashok Kumar VSM, Andy Stephenson, Lt. Col Gil Elmalem, on the topic “Geospatial Technology: Key to Boost Indo Pacific Regional Security.” After a refreshing lunch and exhibition visit, the experts dived into three consecutive sessions from 2-3 pm, 3-4 pm, and 4:30-5:30 pm, based on the topics of “Resilient Space Infrastructure,” “Cyber Resilience: Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure,” and “Building Next-Gen Applications in Defence” respectively. With Lt Gen Anil Bhatt, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Director General ISpA) as the chair, plenary two involved critical analysis with different perspectives from Lt Gen PJS Pannu AVSM VSM, AVM Rajiv Ranjan, Col Marcin Mazur, and Dr. SP Aggarwal. This was followed by plenary three with the esteemed professor at Northwestern University, Dr. VS Subrahmanian, as the chair. The eminent speakers of the panel included CMDE Atul Deswal, Dr. Chalee Vorakulpipat, and Dr. Anupam Tewari. The final session of the day, yet an insightful one, had Lt Gen Rajiv Sahni VSM as the chair with panelists Maj General Sa Kulatunge RWP RSP VSV PSC, Rohan Verma, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Dalela, and Dr. Rituraj, who passionately expressed their wise thoughts on the esteemed topic of discussion. It wasn’t just about presenting ideas but about fostering a collaborative vision for a secure future.
The event was designed to foster a sense of unity and shared purpose, with thoughtful breaks and an exhibition visit providing opportunities for reflection and informal dialogue. This was followed by a reception, celebrating the day’s successes and the promise of tomorrow. The exhibition area was a focal point, featuring cutting-edge technologies from leading companies, inviting attendees to be part of the journey propelling the frontier of Geospatial Technologies in the Indo-Pacific Region. It was a significant opportunity for extensive networking and exploring potential collaborators, offering business opportunities and brand awareness, which led to global outreach in the Geospatial industry. The 22 fascinating exhibitors included Capella Space, Galaxeye Space, Indian Aerospace & Defence, Geospatial World, Dhruva Space, Elcina, Esri, Indo Wings, ISpA, MapMyIndia, Maxar, Microgenesis Techsoft, NESAC, NovAtel I Hexagon, Pan India Consultants Pvt.Ltd, Pixxel Space, Satpalda, SIA India, Suhora, Survey of India, Trimble, and VTOL Aviation India Pvt Ltd. Real-time AI-driven analytics and high-resolution satellite imaging demonstrations drew significant attention. These live sessions showcased how immediate data interpretation can enhance decision-making processes in critical scenarios, ranging from military operations to disaster response.
As the evening concluded, the Tango Ballroom stood as a testament to the power of unity and the relentless pursuit of advancement, leaving every attendee not just hopeful but charged with the responsibility of creating a resilient and secure global landscape. The interactive nature of the event, including Q&A sessions and panel discussions, provided a platform for the audience to engage with the topics and speakers, further enriching the learning experience and fostering a collaborative vision for a secure future.
On Day 2/ 12 June 2024, charged with the promise of groundbreaking revelations, attendees were ushered into a world of strategic foresight and technological marvels, paving the way for a deep dive into the realms of Defense Geospatial Data Infrastructure, the intricacies of Space Surveillance & Earth Observation Constellations, Countering Space Operations, and the pioneering synergy of Human-Machine Teaming for real-time satellite-based operations. Insightful discussions on these topics from 09:30 to 11:30 by experts from distinct domains, including Lt Gen Girish Kumar, Oliver David Brown, Vivek Saxena, Giridhar M Aekbote, Matthew Jackson, Radha Krishna Kavuluru, Lt Gen Sanjay Verma, Brig As Nagra, Saurabh Rai, Krishna Reddy, AVM Dv Khot, Brig G Manoj, Akash Yalagach, Abhineet Jain, Aakash Parekh, Srinibas Patnaik, Kapil Kumar Malik, Suyash Singh, GP Capt Ajay Lele, AIR CMDE Ashish Baduni, and, AVM S Bhatnagar VM VSM, highlighted the convergence of cutting-edge technology and strategic defense operations, sparking a buzz among participants. The spotlight then shifted to critical contemporary challenges and innovative solutions. Digital Twins for Warfighting and the strategic securing of space-based assets against counter-space operations were particularly standout presentations by Col Joydeep Majumdar, Christopher Oxendine, Vishal Anand, and Dr. Aniruddha Roy with Maj Gen (Dr) Dilawar Singh as the chair, alongside the exploration of drones’ evolving roles in warfare by Cdr Pankaj Srivastava, Dr Ravi Kumar, Rohit Srivastava, with Maj Gen Abhay Dayal VSM as the chair.
These discussions not only underscored the dynamic nature of modern defense strategies but also showcased the forward-thinking approaches shaping the future of conflict and security. As the afternoon unfolded, the focus broadened to encompass Data Sovereignty and Cybersecurity (by Vinit Goenka, Dr Anupam Tewari, HS Randhawa, with CDR Mukesh Saini as the chair) and the advancement of PNT Infrastructure for agile combat environments (by RJ Bhanderi, Vyom Kaushik, Subhash Kumar, Dr Anindya Bose, with Vivek Gopal as the chair) after a refreshing lunch break in line with the session on Emergency Response Systems with NK MIshra IPS as the chair along with Mohsen Shahedi, Vinay Babu, Dheeraj Mehra, Devinder Chawla, and Yetender Singh Negi as panelists. The sessions on Maritime Domain Awareness (by James Mcaden, Rex Tan, Sarunisha Ramachandran, Partha Ghosh, with Cmde Sujeet Samaddar as chair) and leveraging geospatial technologies for enhanced border and internal security (by V Vijay, Amit Seymour, Krishna Rao, with Maj Gen Praveen Chhabra VSM as chair) emphasized the critical need for robust and resilient defense mechanisms in today’s complex global landscape. The symposium concluded on a reflective note with a networking session, allowing attendees to discuss the day’s insights and forge connections extending beyond the event’s confines. The Valedictory in Hall – Tango 2 conducted by Chief Guest Lt Gen Vinod Khandare, PVSM, AVSM, SM (Principal Advisor, Ministry of Defence) underscored the day’s significance, marking the end of a journey through the nexus of technology, security, and strategic defense planning. It was a day that not only broadened horizons but also solidified the role of innovation in crafting the future of global security and defense strategies.
In the digital era, security extends beyond physical borders into the depths of the “dark web.” Governments, defense, and law enforcement globally confront a wide range of social, economic, geopolitical, and environmental challenges. Following the pandemic, the nature of natural and man-made threats has evolved, intensifying the need for authorities to stay ahead of the game. Cutting-edge technology solutions empower agencies to address potential threats, ensuring national security and stability promptly. Key technologies, combined with advanced geospatial data and spatial analysis, assist in grasping and evaluating the impacts of potential crises and system breaches. Through seamless integration of data from space, cyberspace, and social media sources in real-time, advanced technology enables predictive policymaking, evidence-based decision-making, comprehensive record management systems, and real-time visualization, monitoring, and analysis of situations.
The holistic approach has recognized the traditional boundaries of the security challenges, facilitating the need for multifaceted strategies by integrating efforts across the domains of military geo-intelligence, internal security, space, cyberspace, and advanced digital technologies. This geo-intelligence forum forges a unified and resilient security framework for the ever-evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific. The forum effectively achieved its objectives of global engagement, policy promotion, intellectual guidance, and business expansion via product demonstrations, networking, and social events. It also increased the knowledge and awareness of participants through engaging conferences and an interactive exhibition over both days.
