NEW DELHI: To prevent snooping, the Indian Army is now setting up its own mobile network that will do away with its dependency on civilian, commercial mobile networks. The move also aims at helping the Armed forces communicate even during natural calamities and massive terror attacks. The Corps of the Signals of the Indian Army is coming out with a project called Mobile Cellular Communication System (MCCS), which is a code division multiple access (CDMA) technology-based system. It offers more secrecy in operation in addition to better protection against hacking. Capable of relaying videos and pictures faster than regular mobile phones, MMCS will have faster data capability and would be put up strategically, unlike commercial mobile towers, considering the possibility of an enemy strike and natural calamities, says the Army. The pilot project was launched in Jammu-based 16 Corps headquarters of the Indian Army about six months ago. For this, the Army roped in a domestic mobile phone handset manufacturer to supply handsets for the officers. Built by the Defence Public Sector Unit, Bharat Electronics Limited, (BEL), the MCCS proved its mettle during the September 2014 floods in Jammu and Kashmir where all communication lines, including BSNL, were destroyed. “Though we started it from Jammu, we are expanding its network to other parts of the state. We are in the process of introducing it in Srinagar-based 15 Corps headquarters successfully,” said an officer, who did not wish to be named. In the next phase, the Army plans to expand this mobile system to its bases in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram, at an estimated cost of over $116 million. It was observed that during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008, all communication lines were jammed and security agencies involved in the operation were unable to communicate. A similar situations arise during natural calamities when communication lines get uprooted. During the September floods in Jammu and Kashmir, some MCCS sets were used by the civil administration officials and the chief ministers office, as all other networks were down. The few MCCS mobile phones were the Army’s only source of communication as it rescued over 80,000 stranded people over a 15-day long relief-and-rescue operation in Jammu and Kashmir. Military observers say all top militaries of the world use such dedicated mobile network and do not rely on civilian mobile communication networks for their tactical and operational requirements. Moreover, being on CDMA network, MCCS is impossible to snoop into, and cannot be intercepted by even off-the-air intercepting devices, a military expert said. “Since the Army is placing towers and other infrastructure at strategic locations with strong backup support, the chances of MCCS network collapsing are next to nil,” said an officer. “So far, the integrated defence headquarters of the defence ministry has agreed to have MCCS only for hilly and rugged terrain formations of the force, it will gradually implement it in peace stations of the Army,” he added. The mobile phone number distribution will be appointment-based and not in the name of an individual officer, Army officials said. Few months back, an internal communication by the military intelligence to all Indian Army establishments had warned that Pakistan-based intelligence operatives (PIO) were calling officers of all levels to extract information through fake calls.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 14:58:46 +0000
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