New Delhi, 02 October: The long pending demand of the Indian Army to strengthen the communication network on the country’s borders has now been fulfilled.
This project of about eight thousand crores will enhance the ‘communication system’ on the International Border (IB), Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC) in East Ladakh with Pakistan.
This will enable communication access to the forward places in the western border as well.
A public sector undertaking M/S ITI Limited has been given the responsibility of creating a strategic and secure communication network for the military across the country. 11 thousand kilometers of optical fibber network will be laid on the borders of the entire country.
The communication system of the Indian Army is still based on the wireless system, which keeps the confidential message i.e. the radio signal in danger of being caught by the enemy’s radar. That is why there was a demand from the Army for strengthening the communication system on the country’s borders for a long time.
Now the Cabinet Committee on Security has approved the proposal for the establishment of the fourth phase of the Army Static Switched Communication Network (ASCON). Also, a contract of Rs 7796.39 crore has been done with ITI Limited.
The public sector company will set up ASCON within 36 months, which will boost the operational capability of the defense forces on the country’s international border and control lines.
The project is a strategic and theatre area communications network that will upgrade existing technology from Internet Protocol to Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology.
Optical fibre cable (OFC), microwave radio and satellite will be used as communication medium. The project will provide better accountability and higher bandwidth in any operational scenario and increase the network’s communications coverage closer to the country’s borders. The network will extend high-bandwidth communications to remote operating areas in the central and eastern regions and also enable communication access to advance locations in the western border.
Thus, this project will enhance the communication network of the Indian Army in sensitive advance operational areas, which will provide a special boost to the operational preparedness of the Indian Army especially keeping in view the current status of LAC.
Apart from this the project will give a boost to Indian industry with around 80 percent indigenous content. The project involves execution of civil works, construction of OFC, construction of towers etc. and use of local resources, employing local manpower; it will create employment opportunities especially to people in remote border areas.
Similarly, the rural economy will get support and boost during the long period of work completion and maintenance. The local economies will help in the upliftment of local goods and also the skill development of the people of the region.
The project is a major opportunity for PSU M / s ITI Limited to showcase its potential and provide momentum to the Indian economy and will be a major step towards achieving the goal of self-reliant India.
RM Aggarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of M / s ITI Limited said that the company would set up a strategic network for secure communication across the country and also repairs it for the next 10 years.
According to Agarwal, his company has successfully implemented the first three phases of the ASCON project over the last three decades and has undergone repairing.
“We are very excited about the fourth phase project. Under this phase, 11 thousand kilometres of optical fibre network will be spread across the country,” added Agarwal.
