Avi Hefetz, who heads the delegation, says that estimates drawn up in Israel point to a $1 billion market for selling homeland security equipment to India. And that’s in just one financial year.

The delegation, consisting of 20 top Israeli companies, inked two deals earlier this week, including a $50,000 contract for a passenger monitoring system for the Airports Authority of India, Hefetz says. The system will identify “suspicious” passengers, based on X-ray scans and even body language, who can be directed for detailed search to security officials.

While government officers and private companies are being bombarded with a variety of security equipment, some stand out for their sheer uniqueness. An Italian firm is offering police a license plate-reader. The car-mounted system can scan hundreds of license plates within seconds, and warn officers if a “rogue” car is in the vicinity.

For surveillance, US firms are offering mini aerostat-mounted cameras and radars to help police keep an eye on traffic and other movements in the city. With Internet-based television now a reality, remote video surveillance — where the camera’s feed can be assessed anywhere around the world — are also on offer.

Several other products — which would have earlier been considered far too audacious and expensive — are now under “active consideration” by agencies like the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) as well as the Special Task Forces and Anti Terrorism Squads being raised by several state governments.

Delhi Police’s shopping list has, for the first time, radiation detectors and Total Containment Vehicles (TCVs). The latter costs Rs 2.5 crore per vehicle, built for having up to 8 kg of high explosives being safely detonated inside.

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