News Excerpt:

India is deploying atomic clocks across the country to ensure that the time shown in our digital watches, smartphones, and laptops is truly based on Indian Standard Time (IST).

Background:

• Currently, most software operating modules in India rely on US-based Network Time Protocol servers. 
• The Indian government wants all software to be synchronised with indigenous atomic clocks instead, both for uniformity in time and as a defence mechanism, especially in times of war.
• The Consumer Affairs Ministry’s Legal Metrology Department and the National Physical Laboratory, or NPL, the nation’s timekeeper, are installing the atomic clocks.
• So far, India has atomic clocks in Ahmedabad and Faridabad, and more are being installed in Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Hyderabad.
• Only four other countries - the US, the UK, Japan, and Korea - have their own atomic clocks.

Need:

• The project was initiated after the Kargil War when India was denied information on the GPS location of Pakistani intruders.
• Having our time is important, especially in areas like defence security, cybersecurity, and online transactions.
• Even a small time gap can be crucial in such situations.

Implementation framework by the government:

• Through the Consumer Affairs Ministry, the government is developing a legal framework to mandate that all software service providers across the country synchronise their time with the atomic clocks developed by the National Physical Laboratory.
• Failure to comply may result in severe penalties, including cancelling licences.
• Currently, accurate time-keeping is done through satellite.
• The Consumer Affairs Ministry and NPL are planning to connect all atomic clocks through optical cables.
• As it will be more secure, given that satellite-based time dissemination is susceptible to potential blockage by enemy countries during wartime or emergencies.