Upgrading the Frontier Communication

Guarding the national frontiers requires upgrading of communication facilities to ensure that the information reaches the concerned quarters with precision and allows timely decision making. Moreover, the digital revolution has left minimal scope for leaving gaps in the communication network. As it allows the adversary a tactical advantage, leading the gross lapse that can have disastrous impact on the national security grid. The Indian Army has initiated a process to install the high speed towers at the Siachen and Galwan areas of the frontier in Ladakh. This decision will allow the army personnel to communicate with their families for the entire year. This will indeed enhance the efficiency of the armed forces as it will give them emotional satisfaction to be in touch with their families regularly. Not only that, the availability of the high speed 4G and 5G services will allow the administration and the public to deal with the emergency situations and catalyse the service delivery at the various levels. Keeping in view the tourist attraction for the border tourism, the availability of the high speed mobile telephony at the altitude of nearly 18,000 feet will encourage the tourists to visit the frontier areas in the Ladakh sector. This facility will connect DBO, Batalik, Galwan, Demchok, Dras and other areas that have been facing the problem of connectivity. This decision will have an enormous effect on the socio-economic development of the villages located in the border areas and it will stop the displacement of the people to the other areas. As the problem of communication deficit will be addressed, giving people an opportunity to pursue their avenues from their native areas. It will reduce the flux of displacement from these areas. It will have a two pronged impact. One it will address the concerns of the armed forces regarding the communication in terms of being connected with their families and will also have an impact on the strategic decision making to deal with threats and timely neutralise them with powerful digital technology at their disposal. Two, it will empower the natives who have been facing the immense challenges due to an underdeveloped communication network, retarding their business ambitions by seeking livelihoods and career opportunities elsewhere. It is pertinent to mention that the new geo-strategic challenges demand that the national security policy at the frontiers and its overall premise be designed by taking into consideration the infrastructural requirements. Communication networks based on high speed technology are of paramount importance to deal with the ever changing digital revolution. The confrontation with China has indeed made it clear that India needs to be well equipped with the communication networks that can outwit the adversary and allow the armed forces the strategic advantage to act swiftly so that the proactive planning is done to neutralize the designs of the adversary. Border roads, intelligence gathering that includes communication must be upgraded in tandem to secure our frontiers. The definition of war has changed as the wars are not confined to weaponry but it includes technological up gradation at various levels. This includes the 4G and 5G network availability to put in place a new age communication facility to empower the armed forces and the native for different reasons that lead to the achievement of the same objective. That is an informed people and well equipped army at the frontier areas.