Dear Reader
The big news this month is that the Government has reduced income tax for manufacturing units in order to attract fresh investment in manufacturing thereby providing a boost to the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative of the Government. Any new domestic company incorporated on or after 1st October 2019 and making fresh investment in manufacturing, now has an option to pay income-tax at the rate of only 15%. This benefit is available to companies which do not avail any exemption/incentive and commence their production on or before 31st March, 2023.
This historic decision by the government to boost business in general and local manufacturing in particular, has been well received by the security industry. The large CCTV brands who have so far been importing much of their products can now really get down to long term planning for manufacturing indigenously most of the components that go into the making of a video surveillance camera. Foreign manufacturers can now seriously start thinking of setting up a manufacturing base in India and look at exporting their products to other countries from India. Apart from generating jobs, development of local technical know-how, research and development will also get a big boost.
On September 14, more than 20 drones and cruise missiles were used to attack two of Saudi Arabia’s major oil facilities, Aramco’s Abqaiq and Khurais, setting them ablaze and causing major disruption in their oil supply output. This was perhaps the first well coordinated attack on a major oil facility in the world using such sophisticated weapons by a rebel group against a well defended target and protected by the American Patriot anti-missile system.
This attack was significant in more than one way, as it sent the global oil prices soaring and secondly, the vulnerability of strategic assets to drone attacks stands proven. So, this now formally opens up the game further to the counter drone technology players. Thus, from missile and aircraft detection the game is moving to detecting drones faster than what was envisaged just a short while ago.
Drone detection technology that can quickly detect and identify drone threats and terminate them, preventing a Saudi Arabia-style drone attack is much in demand and many governments and owners of critical assets such as refineries, power plants and airports are now scampering to evaluate systems available in the market and deploy them at the earliest. Budgets are being created hurriedly for such systems.
However, the systems available for commercial applications are still maturing, as they face challenges, such as identification of friendly aircraft and drones, from the enemy UAVs. So if one wants to neutralise the rogue drones by destroying, controlling and/or capturing, this identification is very important.
All in all, there are exciting times ahead for this sector, as large business houses prepare their plans to deliver commercial services using drones to consumers in India.
Till we meet next month, Cheers, Stay Safe and Keep Others Safe.
G B Singh
Group Editor
Email: gbsingh@1stasset.org
Follow me on @EditorGB
Connect with me on Linkedin.com/in/gbsingh9
