Editor,
Encircled by inhospitable topography, which includes the world’s highest range, the Karakoram, Kashmir remains a bleeding wound from the partition of British-ruled India in 1947. With America acting as the peacemaker, the geographical chessboard pendulum is swinging as potential enemies leverage the internet to gather intelligence. The Parliament introduced the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016 shortly after the Pathankot attack to regulate information such as Google Maps data. The availability of sensitive points, considered a new kind of oil and easily accessible through platforms like LexisNexis, Janes, and OpenStreetMap among others, allows potential adversaries to monitor and understand the terrain and patterns of History. Geography, as a subject, functions more as an intelligence process that contributes to the coordinated understanding of various specialized fields, ultimately aiding in area synthesis.
Two articles substantiate the necessity of safeguarding national security assets: ‘The importance of geospatial data in national security’ by Shravishtha Ajaykumar (Observer Research Foundation), published on July 26, 2022, and ‘Declassified Documents Trace U.S. Policy Shifts on Use of Commercial Satellite Imagery from 1970s to Today’ by Jeffrey T. Richelson (The National Security Archive), posted on November 27, 2012.
As the landscape evolves with complex, ambiguous challenges, our national defense policy must be elevated to enhance protection against aggressors. We could consider setting aside disclosures for programs such as Imagery Analysis during natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, typhoons, and cyclones), severe drought conditions, or instances of industrial pollution affecting rivers and forests. Future scenarios require thorough planning; recently, the National Security Advisory Board was reconstituted with former R&AW chief Alok Joshi as chairperson and seven new members, thereby strengthening the security framework of the country.
Erik J. Dahl’s ‘Intelligence and Surprise Attack: Failure and Success from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and Beyond’ provides insight into the crucial nature of timely, tactical intelligence and the importance for decision-makers to pay close attention to the Cassandras.
Christopher Gatphoh,
Laitkor Rngi
Shillong
