GIS Development Weekly March 31, 2008

On the same day that Industry Minister Jim Prentice announced a 30-day delay on his decision whether to approve the sale of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates' (MDA) space division to U.S.-based Alliant Techsystems (ATK), the Rideau Institute and the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) released a legal opinion that raised concerns about the proposed deal.

"Our legal opinion clearly shows that the sale of MDA's space division to a U.S. arms manufacturer would hand Washington the power to deny Ottawa access to images from our own satellite," said Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute...

What makes Rolta more attractive than the IT biggies is its lower dependence on the US market and thus, lesser exposure to a possible recession in the US economy. Rolta earns around 24% of its revenues from the US, but it also spends in dollar terms in the US, which acts as a natural hedge against the weak dollar. The company's order book, as at the end of the last quarter, stood at a robust Rs1,250 crore, including Rs 510 crore in GIS and Rs 210 crore in the internet and ebusiness solutions space. It had revenues of Rs 622 crore in FY07. Around 60% of its revenues came from the domestic market with a high proportion from the defence sector. Macquarie Research analysts Suveer Chainani and Shashi Bhusan said in a February 1 research report that Rolta offers niche high-margin services to sectors poised for substantial growth, including infrastructure, power, oil & gas and defence. Analysts Viju George, Kunal Sangoi and Nikhil Chakrapani of Edelweiss Research said in a note to clients on February 1 that Rolta had over Rs 400 crore in cash and cash equivalents as at the end of the last quarter...

The paranoia of some nations with regards to open access to spatial data is at the most an antiquated reminder of invasions suffered in the past and the resultant security concerns of the present rulers. In todays context the excessive zeal displayed towards gagging 'geospatial freedom' is anachronistic. The latest report on the crack down by China on 'illegal on- line mapping services' is just another such happening. The length to which a country could go to is evident from Vincent Tao's statement that “...the map data is not allowed to leave the border. Some other countries also have the same regulations (Korea for example). In China, maps can only be provided by the licensed map data providers. Also the on-line publishing maps need to go through a ‘encryption’ process whereby map coordinates are transformed to an unknown coordinate system (not in Lat/Long)...”. The mapping services are any ways not available outside the country and intentionally encrypting the coordinates of data used by the nation's citizens almost amounts to providing false documents.

Archived geospatial data by survey agencies of US, Russia and possibly UK for countries under their scanner and or annexed/ invaded/ ruled by them for some time in the past, is available today. Should the use of such data also constitute a security violation by the citizen of that country? More so, since the indigenously made maps are 'out of bounds' to the citizen. I sincerely hope not ... else a large number of Himalayan expeditions (from either sides of the international border) are liable to face prosecution for using the Russian topographical maps which are available for a song from US university libraries...

Dr. Hrishikesh Samant
hrishikesh@gisdevelopment.net