NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) on Monday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up a dedicated indigenous testing centre to conduct trials and certification of full-body scanners and other security screening equipment for all airports in India.
An official release from the Ministry of Civil Aviation said the MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Director General of BCAS Rajesh Nirwan, and Bimal Patel, Vice Chancellor, RRU.
“Under the MoU, RRU, in collaboration with BCAS, will establish and maintain a dedicated Testing Centre for conducting trials of Full Body Scanners and other aviation security equipment in accordance with directives issued by BCAS,” the release said.
Naidu said, “Today’s MoU between BCAS and Rashtriya Raksha University is a natural extension of the NDA Government’s twin focus on security research and capacity building. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strengthening security through focused research, innovation and capacity building has remained a core priority. It is primarily about building an Atma-Nirbhar Bharat, Atma-Surakshit Bharat.”
The partnership creates a formal institutional framework for cooperation between BCAS and RRU in the areas of testing, certification, research, training and standards development relating to aviation security equipment. “It is aimed at strengthening India’s aviation security ecosystem through a credible, independent and scientifically rigorous mechanism for assessment and regulatory support,” the release said.
“The Centre will undertake independent evaluation, verification and certification of the specifications and performance of equipment supplied by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and submit impartial and scientifically robust assessment reports for regulatory consideration,” the release added.
The Minister added, “I strongly believe that by combining the regulatory authority of BCAS with the technical prowess of RRU, we will build an indigenous ecosystem for security equipment certification, which will resonate with international practices such as those overseen by the TSA in the United States and ECAC in Europe.”
The MoU also provides for the establishment of state-of-the-art testing laboratories at RRU, aligned with global standards, to carry out rigorous performance, safety and interoperability assessments. This will support the development of an institutionalised accreditation framework to ensure that only equipment meeting prescribed technical and operational benchmarks is considered for deployment in critical aviation security environments.
The agreement further envisages cooperation in academics, research, extension and training programmes for mutual benefit. It includes capacity-building initiatives through workshops, specialised training programmes and knowledge-sharing activities aimed at developing professional expertise in testing, accreditation and emerging aviation security technologies.
Speaking of the growth in the civil aviation sector, the Minister said, “Airports in the country have more than doubled from 74 in 2014 to 165 today. Every hour, our airports are handling 250 to 300 aircraft movements and catering to a massive footfall of about 40-45,000 passengers every hour! Not only passengers, air cargo too has seen a staggering leap in volumes by almost 50% over the last 10-12 years. So, it is very important to adopt the highest standards of technology and highest standards of professional competence in the operations of BCAS.”