BENGALURU: India is nowhere close to developed countries’ research and development (R&D) in the security of mobile communications and wireless network, said A S Paulraj, India-US electrical engineer who is considered to be the father of 4G technology. He added that importing technology will make India open to security threats.
Speaking exclusively to Express on the sidelines of Synergia Conclave 2017, Paulraj, winner of Marconi award-2014, which is equivalent to Nobel in Technology, said that India has to avoid importing high profile security tools which always carry much more risk and the country has to come up with indigenous systems.
Asserting that China has moved far ahead in terms of R&D in wireless security technology, he said that 5G technology will make mobile phones much more efficient but vulnerable also.
He said, “5G wireless network is going to bring a lot of IoT (Internet of Things). It will go much beyond mobile phones, into all kinds of machinery like railway system or power reactors. If someone hacks your phone or network, you can end up in a lot of trouble which can cause greater damage. India should have built security systems by now but there are no big improvements in the R&D of wireless technology. It has continued to be an importer of wireless security technology. On the fundamental level, where we need to create new ideas in security, we (India) haven’t fared well so far but it should be done now. We can never be secure when we import technology because you don’t know what it carries. Government definitely has a larger role to play,” he added.
He said that Indian researchers have done good work in the field of wireless technology but haven’t been able to implement it in devices. “A lot of companies in Bengaluru are trying to put security systems in place for corporate firms in terms of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, but that too mostly for multi-national companies. Compared to global companies of US, China or Europe, India is nowhere close,” he said.
Padma Bhushan awardee, Dr Paulraj is the pioneer of MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) which can multiply the radio spectrum. He founded it during the 1990s and later developed the concept. MIMO is a concept of using multiple wantennas both for transmitting and receiving with the aim of high-speed WiFi and 4G mobile systems.Dr Paulraj has also served in the Indian Navy for thirty years who also developed advanced Sonar systems- APSOH (Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull). He is presently Professor Emeritus at Stanford University.