Need to focus more on security aspects related to air cargo: Home secy

Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Monday said the country's civil aviation sector is witnessing rapid growth that will also bring different kinds of challenges, and highlighted the need to look more at security aspects related to air cargo.

Speaking at the function to mark the 38th Raising Day of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in the national capital, he emphasised the need for using cutting-edge technologies in various areas, including surveillance.

The country's aviation sector is seeing rapid growth and records are likely to be set in 2024. In the years to come, it will be much more, Bhalla said.

However, he also said challenges of different kinds are also going to come.

One area of concern is about air cargo, Bhalla said, underlining the need to look more at the security aspects in this regard, especially the "safety and security of multi-modal transport".

While stressing that all have to put their efforts together, Bhalla said new technologies are creating more problems and the challenges are now about AI (Artificial Intelligence), deepfakes, GPS jamming and others.

At the function, Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said processes need to be further streamlined at airports amid rising air passenger traffic.

He also mentioned about various possible threats, including those related to AI.