Objective of the Webinar
Private Military Companies are private business entities whose activity consists of the provision of services of military and/or security character which is outsourced to them. Worldwide, the use of such companies has consistently expanded over the years. Their services and expertise are typically similar to those of military or law enforcement agencies albeit on a smaller scale. While PMCs often provide services to train or supplement official armed forces in service of governments, they can also be employed by private companies to provide bodyguards for key staff or for the protection of vital assets, especially in hostile territories.
They have been tasked for intelligence gathering, playing an important role in maritime security and protection of vital installations and bases. The PMC industry will be worth over $ 81 bn by the year 2023 in the USA alone. It is a high risk, high reward sector especially for people having the desired skillsets. According to 2008 study in the USA, PMCs made up 29% of the workforce of the US Intelligence gathering community. The Russian government is having its own PMC’s which are working for the GRU, the military department. They are lethal in operations like the Wagner group and are being used for furthering the Russian strategic interests. Numerous PMCs are also active in Southeast Asia and there is a high demand for them especially for maritime security.
PMCs are non-existent in India although a report by FICCI suggests that private security firms are amongst the largest employers in India. Indian firms are unable to match up to PMCs due to two major reasons. Firstly gun control laws according to which a citizen can own a firearm under the claims of self-defence, crop protection, or if he is a practitioner of shooting sports. The second reason is that the state supremacy is always maintained paramount in the handling of security issues.
Objective of the webinar is to explore opportunities and challenges to the functioning of PMC in India, understand their functioning and legal framework globally, the corporate expectations, scope to develop this sector, and the way forward.
About the Panelists
Mr. Rituraj Sinha
Group Managing Director, SIS Group Enterprises
- Alumni of Doon School, India and Leeds University Business School, UK
- Instrumental in shaping exponential growth of SIS Group to an Rs 8400+ Crore Market Leader in Security, Facility Management & Cash Logistics Solutions, with operations spread across India, Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand.
- SIS acquired Australia’s largest security company in 2008 and listed itself with stock exchanges in 2017.
- SIS imparts skill development through 20 residential training centres spread across 15 states in the country and employs 2,30,000+ manpower.
- He has been featured as YOUNG TURKS by CNBC and in many publications of repute several times like India Today and FORBES Magazine.
- Other than Group Managing Director of SIS Group Enterprises, he is also tenanting the appointment of Chair of Private Security at FICCI, is on Board of Director with Global Security Industry, Ligue Headquartered in Switzerland. He was a member of CAB, Ministry of Labour & Employment, and is on the Board of Governors of IIM Bodhgaya.
Major Manjit Rajain (Retd)
Chairman Tenon Group of Companies
- Commissioned in the 11 Armoured Regiment in 1984. After a brief stint, joined CRPF as Assistant Commissioner Police in J&K.
- His entrepreneurial streak led to the founding of Peregrine Guarding in 1995 which has been independently ranked by KPMG, EY, Deloitte, and Grant Thornton as amongst the top 3 security service providers in India.
- He diversified the business with Tenon Integrated Facilities Management Services in 2007 which was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2008. The company saw inorganic growth through multiple acquisitions in various countries and continents.
- Peregrine & Tenon received numerous National & International awards. Major Manjit Rajain served as the Chairman of the Homeland Security Forum under Indo – American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). He is a Paul Harris Fellow, served as Assistant Governor Rotary International twice, and is Global Advisor to the Yale School of Management, Yale University.
Colonel Harendra Bana (Retd)
Chairman of the OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council) Delhi chapter
- Commissioned into 11 Grenadiers in 1987. After 20 years of distinguished service, he joined the corporate sector in 2007.
- He has worked in Corporate Security with prestigious MNCs like Microsoft, John Deere and is presently the Associate Director PepsiCo Global Security for India and South Asia. He is also the Chairman of OSAC Delhi Chapter and Member of FICCI Homeland Security.
- He has been conferred “Security Professional of the Year Award for 2016” by SECONA independent security consultant body and in 2018 with “Industry Crusader of the Year Award” by the UBM group.
- He holds ISO certifications in both Risk and Business Continuity Management and is a PG diploma holder from XLRI.
Mr. Alok Joshi
Member National Security Advisory Board
- joined the Indian Police Service in 1976 (Haryana Cadre).
- He has tenanted various prestigious appointments as Inspector General of Police Ambala Range, served in the Intelligence Bureau and Cabinet Secretariat in various capacities.
- He was appointed as Secretary (R&AW) from 2012 -2014.
- He served as Chairman NTRO from 2015 – 2018 and is presently appointed as Member NSAB since 2019.
- He is a recipient of President’s Police Medals for Meritorious and Distinguished Services.
- He has a keen interest in strategic affairs and counter-terrorism issues.
