Policymakers must focus on strengthening research security as a part of the broader science and technology strategy in India
In this article :
- role of science and technology in strategic and emerging sectors
- new challenge — research security ..
- What is Research security
- there have been several cases of research security breaches around the world
- क्या कुछ कानून भी बनाए गए हैं ??
- क्या किया जाना चाहिए ?
- in-principle and practical challenges for research security
role of science and technology in strategic and emerging sectors
As India aims to achieve its development objectives by 2047, the government has laid an emphasis on the role of science and technology in strategic and emerging sectors.
Investment in cutting-edge technologies
is essential to stay globally competitive, address societal challenges and unlock economic opportunities.
new challenge — research security.
However, along with this intensification of research and development (R&D) arises a new challenge — research security.
New risk
While collaboration and the free exchange of knowledge are fundamental to scientific progress, there are new risks in the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
- Foreign interference,
- intellectual property theft,
- insider threats,
- cyberattacks,
- and unauthorised access to sensitive information are concerns for countries investing in advanced technologies.
they could undermine India’s progress in strategic sectors.
What is Research security
refers to safeguarding scientific research from threats to confidentiality, economic value, or national interest.
India is ramping up investments in strategic technologies which include
- space,
- defence,
- semiconductors,
- nuclear technology,
- cybersecurity,
- biotechnology,
- clean energy,
- artificial intelligence,
- and quantum technology.
Any breach of security
could compromise national interests, delay technological advancements, and expose sensitive data to exploitation by foreign actors.
Policymakers must focus on strengthening research security
This involves a concerted effort to
- protect sensitive data,
- intellectual property,
- research infrastructure,
- and personnel.
- Preventing espionage, sabotage, and adversarial foreign influence are essential to safeguard India’s R&D investment.
The global landscape, China factor.
there have been several cases of research security breaches around the world
not-disclosing their links to Chinese funding
In a famous case, a senior professor at Harvard University and his two Chinese students were arrested for not-disclosing their links to Chinese funding, while also receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Defense.
steal sensitive vaccine research and development data
In another case, COVID-19 vaccine research facilities were subject to cyber attacks in 2020 to steal sensitive vaccine research and development data.
European Space Agency (ESA)
has also suffered several cyberattacks to sabotage or steal sensitive information, prompting ESA to develop a partnership with the European Defence Agency on cybersecurity.
क्या कुछ कानून भी बनाए गए हैं ??
The US CHIPS and Science Act
has several provisions on research security, which are complemented by other guidelines; these include the research security framework of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Canada
has come up with National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships and a Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern, along with a list of sensitive technologies.
Moreover, the country has identified research institutions — primarily from China, Iran, and Russia — with which collaborations should be avoided.
The European Council’s recommendation
is taking a different approach based on the principles of self-governance by the sector, a risk-based and proportionate response, and country-agonistic regulations.
It underlines the need to establish a centre of expertise on research security and highlights research security-related guidelines for Horizon Europe, the primary research funding programme of the EU.
military-civil fusion strategy of the Chinese Communist Party
It promotes the use of dual-use technology, technology transfer, funding and foreign collaborations;
there is a close nexus between China’s defence industry, universities and research institutions to develop and share strategic research and technologies between the civilian and military sectors.
Promoting research security in India
क्या किया जाना चाहिए ??
The first step
1 would be to systematically map the security vulnerabilities in our research ecosystem.
2 This would involve understanding the
- nature of foreign influence in our universities,
- assessing the vulnerabilities of key research labs and sensitive research infrastructure,
- analysing foreign collaborations and funding in strategic technologies, and
- reviewing the personnel hiring
- and access control practices to comprehend possible insider threats in the crucial research facilities.
4 solutions : Further, engagement with trusted international partners could be explored for the initial capacity building and awareness-raising in this area.
5 Concrete steps would require security and intelligence agencies to engage with researchers and develop an understanding of the sensitive research areas.
6 classification of research in different categories
based on strategic value, possible economic impact and the national security implications.
Thus, a research security framework could be developed providing research security guidelines.
risk-based and proportionate response approach
That is similar to the one recommended by the European Council could be considered as it seeks to avoid over-regulation while reducing security risks.
research security surveillance mechanism
There would be a requirement to develop a research security surveillance mechanism to keep tabs on emerging risks.
Observe these cautions
in-principle and practical challenges for research security.
For instance, science is inherently international and collaborative in nature and international collaborations are crucial drivers of scientific progress.
Research security seeks to restrict certain funding and collaborations, which would be opposed by researchers for infringing on academic freedom and hindering scientific progress.
Similarly, research security would also have to find a balance with open science, which includes sharing of research infrastructure, open data, and involving the general public in the scientific research via citizen science. Rightfully, open science is promoted by governments, funding agencies, science academies, and individual researchers.
Another major challenge would be the additional administrative and regulatory burden
that research security would bring to research institutions and individual researchers, already strangled by the overly bureaucratic nature of our institutions and funding agencies.
It is crucial that research security is implemented in close collaboration with the technical experts rather than security and intelligence agencies making decisions without full understanding of the matter.
.
Research security would require significant funding, effective communication, engagement, and capacity building to create a cadre of professionals who could design, develop, implement and lead research security efforts in India.
A dedicated office similar to one at the U.S. National Science Foundation
could be created for research security in the newly established Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). Such an office could become a focal point for coordinating and synergising efforts for research security among security agencies and academic institutions.
Finally, researchers should be engaged at all levels of decision-making to find the right balance of security issues with open science, regulatory burden and scientific progress. Here, the spirit of ‘as open as possible and as closed as necessary’ could help guide decision-making.
Source the hindu
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