Sameer Patil is Fellow, International Security Studies Programme, Gateway House. Prior to this, he was Assistant Director at the National Security Council Secretariat in Prime Minister’s Office, New Delhi, where he handled counter-terrorism and regional security desks. Sameer has written extensively on various aspects of national security including counter-terrorism, cyber security, Kashmir issue, India-Pakistan and India-China relations. He is also a dissertation advisor at the Naval War College, Goa. In 2019, he was a recipient of the Canberra Fellowship, awarded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. He tweets at @sameerpatilIND. Download high-res picture
Education
M.A. and M.Phil. in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University
Expertise
International security and conflict, cyber-security, defence business, counter-terrorism
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent announcement of defence reforms is an appropriate opportunity for India to create a vibrant and profitable defence-industrial base by focusing on the procurement process, capitalising on emerging technologies and partnering with like-minded countries.
India’s has transited innovatively from a cash-based economy to one primarily reliant on digital payment systems. This has brought financial inclusion and transparency, but security threats too, such as data breaches. A look at the major vulnerabilities assailing India’s digital payment systems and ways to plug them
On a week-long October visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the author found both clarity and complexity among the citizens about their new status, and that the practicalities of daily life are more compelling than ideology
Digital black markets, which have always lurked in an opaque world, have now become hubs of illegal activity, selling prohibited goods with ingenious anonymity and resilience. India must sharpen its cybersecurity strategy for this new threat
India has rapidly transitioned from a cash-based economy to one reliant on digital payment systems. This has resulted in financial inclusion and greater transparency, but also expanded the system’s vulnerability to cybercrimes. This paper analyses India’s digital payments industry, maps the potential threat vectors and recommends measures to strengthen the cybersecurity of digital payment systems
The substantive efforts underway in the U.S. to designate India a Major Non-NATO ally reflect the deepening bilateral security and trade cooperation. It will enhance India’s military capabilities and strategic positioning with American allies in the region.
Innovation has its dark side, and digital black market sites are a shady offshoot. Hackers and terrorist networks use these portals to carry out their activities, mostly undetected, but as this infographic shows, the law does catch up with them frequently
The U.S.-China trade dispute and Australia’s concerns about China’s growing influence in its internal affairs and the neighbourhood present an opportunity for New Delhi and Canberra to step up their security engagement, bilaterally, and in the Indo-Pacific
Digital black markets or “dark net marketplaces” which facilitate the transaction of contraband and illegal services, pose a silent, relatively unnoticed threat to the economy. Hackers, organised criminal networks and terrorist groups use these sites, their advanced security features enabling anonymity when executing cybercrimes. This infographic looks at some of the security crackdowns that have eliminated only some of these sites as they have proved to be resilient
The growing use of technology in the election process has made cyber security a crucial issue. Instances of the spread of fake news, manipulation of voter behaviour and hacking show how digital technology can be misused. These issues need to be addressed in the long term
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