The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Rashtriya Raksha University have signed a pact to set up and operate an indigenous testing centre for performance evaluation and certification of full-body scanners and other security screening equipment used at airports, an official release said on Monday.
Under the pact, the facility will undertake independent evaluation, verification and certification of the specifications and performance of equipment supplied by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and submit impartial and scientifically robust assessment reports for regulatory consideration, it said.
The pact was signed in the presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Director General Rajesh Nirwan and Rashtriya Raksha University Vice Chancellor Bimal Patel, among others.
The partnership creates a formal institutional framework for cooperation between BCAS and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) in the areas of testing, certification, research, training and standards development related to aviation security equipment.
It is aimed at strengthening India’s aviation security ecosystem through a credible, independent and scientifically rigorous mechanism for assessment and regulatory support, the release stated.
The partnership will also promote research and innovation in the field of aviation security, enabling continuous refinement of testing methodologies, accreditation criteria and deployment protocols in response to evolving threat scenarios and technological developments, it added.
Besides, it will additionally facilitate national and international collaborations to align India’s testing and certification ecosystem with global best practices.
“Every hour, our airports are handling 250 to 300 aircraft movements and catering to a massive footfall of about 40,000-45,000 passengers every hour. So, it is very important to adopt the highest standards of technology and the highest standards of professional competence in the operations of BCAS.
“This MoU between BCAS and RRU is a step forward in that direction towards building a future-ready and resilient aviation security ecosystem,” Naidu said.
Stating that the highlight of this association is definitely the focus on building Atmanirbharta in aviation security equipment, the minister said, “While aligning with foreign certification practices, we should now aim to emerge as a global hub for aviation security certification”.
“I strongly believe that by combining the regulatory authority of BCAS with the technical prowess of RRU, we will build an indigenous ecosystem for security equipment certification, which will resonate with international practices such as those overseen by the TSA in the United States and ECAC in Europe,” the minister said.
The MoU also provides for the establishment of testing laboratories at RRU, aligned with global standards, to carry out rigorous performance, safety and interoperability assessments.
This will support the development of an institutionalised accreditation framework to ensure that only equipment meeting prescribed technical and operational benchmarks is considered for deployment in critical aviation security environments, the release said.
The pact further envisages cooperation in academics, research, extension and training programmes for mutual benefit, including capacity-building initiatives through workshops, specialised training programmes and knowledge-sharing activities aimed at developing professional expertise in testing, accreditation and emerging aviation security technologies.
