JODHPUR, Nov. 7 -- The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur and the Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday entered into a strategic partnership to co-develop and implement cutting-edge indigenous technologies to strengthen the security and surveillance systems of India's borders. Inspector General of BSF Rajasthan Frontier, ML Garg, and IIT Jodhpur director, Professor Avinash Kumar Agarwal, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect on Thursday. A senior IIT official said that under the partnership, both institutions will work on several projects to further strengthen operational efficiency on India's borders. IIT Jodhpur will now focus on research related to drone and anti-drone technology, artificial intelligence-based surveillance systems, secure communication networks, smart border management, and other strategic innovations to strengthen the surveillance of India's borders. Professor Agarwal, director of IIT Jodhpur, said that this partnership will translate India's scientific and technological capabilities into real solutions in the field of national security. This symbolizes IIT Jodhpur's commitment to building a self-reliant and technology-empowered India, professor Agrawal said. He added that the research implementation will be coordinated through IIT Jodhpur's Manekshaw Centre of Excellence for National Security Studies and Research, a centre dedicated to strategic innovation, indigenous technology development, and capacity building in the sectors of defence and security in the country. The collaboration was initiated by the BSF Institute of Communication and Information Technology, New Delhi. It shared the BSF's operational requirements with IIT Jodhpur's research expertise. BSF Inspector General ML Garg said that, "Our joint effort with IIT Jodhpur will promote indigenous innovation and self-reliance in border management technologies. This partnership will further strengthen the BSF's mission preparedness and surveillance capabilities."...