CHINA’S CYBER WAR
   Date :25-Jun-2020

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ON EXPECTED lines, the hackers based in China have started attacking India’s information technology infrastructure and banking sector as a part of the country’s hybrid warfare strategies against big threats. It should not come as a surprise for Internet users in India as China had switched to digital battleground quite early to launch multi-pronged attacks on its enemy. With bilateral talks reaching an advanced stage for disengagement of troops from friction areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), cyber warfare is the next theatre of action where India must come up with a solid security shield. Surprisingly, cyber operations have found least space in the present discourse as India weighs its strength against the Dragon in military and trade sectors. China’s policy against dissenting voices is evident in ongoing attacks on Australian systems. Unlike conventional means, cyber prowess projection has become a handy tool to create panic in a rival country. The situation in Ladakh makes it imperative for India to guard on every front, including digital.
 
CHANCE FOR MSMEs
 
INDIGENOUS production in Naval equipment has seen a rise of up to 90 per cent in recent years giving an edge to the country’s maritime security. According to Rear Admiral S N Almanda, almost 90 per cent of equipment in the “float” category and 65 per cent in the “move” category is indigenous production. This underlines the rise in stakeholders under the ‘Make in India’ policy and goes a long way in building a defence mechanism on home-grown talent. However, one significant sector is still lagging behind in the Naval equipment production. The “float” and “move” categories are delivering systems associated with structure and power generation turbine engines, respectively. It is the “fight” category encompassing all types of ship-borne weapons that is crucial for a ship’s capabilities. This sector has a vast ground open for the MSMEs to take up manufacturing. Current scenario entails a strong maritime defence in the Indian Ocean Region and Indo-Pacific to ward off the China threat. This is a golden opportunity for the MSMEs.