Safeguard the Future: India urged on mission-critical communication

India must urgently invest in secure, interoperable mission-critical communication systems to strengthen its emergency response infrastructure, industry leaders and regulators have urged at the country’s first national conference on public safety communications, Safeguard the Future, held in New Delhi.

Organised by the Broadband India Forum (BIF) in partnership with the UK-based The Critical Communications Association (TCCA), the event brought together policymakers, global experts, technology providers, and public sector organisations to address gaps in disaster preparedness and to promote the adoption of globally accepted standards in mission-critical communications.

The discussions emphasised the essential role of secure, interoperable communications in national security, disaster response, and public safety.

In his address, Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), noted, “This subject carries immense strategic importance for both India and the global community as we navigate an era of increasing climate-related disasters, urban communication challenges, and evolving security threats. Infrastructure, policies, spectrum, and standards are being rapidly developed to build integrated and secure national mission-critical communication systems.”

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), Member, NDMA Board, in his remarks, highlighted the importance of preparation, “Disaster resilience is not a war against an enemy, but against the unknown. In such contexts, communication becomes our strongest tool, connecting agencies, communities, and first responders. Investing in interoperable, mission-critical networks is essential to enable rapid, coordinated responses.”

Global Examples and Tech-Led Strategies

The conference featured international participation, including a keynote address by Kevin Graham, CEO of TCCA, who shared insights from global case studies and standards. He stated, “Mission-critical communication users require trusted, secure, and reliable connectivity at all times. By adopting open international standards and best practices, countries can ensure operational resilience and interoperability, both within and across borders, during emergencies.”

Panel discussions throughout the event examined the application of mission-critical communications in disaster management. Topics included global use cases, public-private partnerships for secure private networks, Mission Critical Services (MCX) technologies, certification frameworks, and real-time communication tools. Representatives from organisations such as Motorola, Ericsson, Qualcomm, and Consort Digital contributed to the discussions, sharing perspectives on how technology can support resilient communication infrastructure in India.

Aruna Sundararajan, Chairperson of BIF, underlined the importance of collaboration between policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders, “The discussions held today reaffirm a critical point: emergency response and communication is a shared responsibility. Synergy among stakeholders is essential to create solutions that are both technically sound and operationally effective.”

A dedicated session on disaster management included contributions from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), C-DoT, BSNL, and RailTel. Speakers underscored the need for mission-critical systems to be integrated into India’s disaster preparedness and response strategies.

The conference concluded with a call to action for stakeholders to build on the momentum generated. The key message was clear: communication is central to managing emergencies, whether natural or man-made. Reliable, secure, and interoperable systems are vital to ensure that coordination among agencies remains uninterrupted when it is most needed.

“In times of crisis, whether physical or systemic, it is communication that enables an effective response. Our objective must be to ensure that coordination flows seamlessly, so that every link in the response chain remains connected,” the organisers stated in closing.