India and Japan to tie-up for 5G technologies, QUAD to pitch in

India and Japan have decided to join hands in technical development of 5G and 5G plus technologies with the help of other QUAD strategic dialogue members—US and Australia—and Israel. The development of next generation telecommunications technologies will be discussed between QUAD Foreign Ministers in a meeting in Japan next month.

According to authoritative government sources, while India and Japan have decided to pitch in for 5G and plus technologies, India is also eyeing the 3GPP, umbrella mobile telecommunications standard organization, and has been successful in the global standards consortium to accept the first Indian rural standard for telecommunication. India along with its partners now will be setting more technological global standards. It is understood that majority of 3GPP standards have been set by the Chinese telecommunication development companies.

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On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and the two decided to take the bilateral special strategic and global partnership to a new level. It is understood Prime Minister Suga told PM Modi that Japan wanted to push QUAD with other three partners and contribute to multilateral efforts for a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” Both India and Japan have been at the receiving end of Chinese aggression this year with a stand-off with Chinese Army in Ladakh and muscle flexing in Senkaku Islands.

“India and Japan have agreed to closely cooperate and develop the 5G and advanced technologies with US and Australia ramping up technological support. We are also taking help from Israel. There are discussions on within the government and our 5G policy will take a final shape in the coming days. But Japan will be a close partner nevertheless,” said an official involved in the exercise.

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On September 10, India and Japan signed an acquisition and cross servicing agreement that allows the Japanese Self Defence Forces and the Indian Armed Forces to share supplies and transport duties. Indian and Japanese navies are currently exercising with the possibility of Australian Navy joining the QUAD exercise in November not ruled out. While Japan is still coming to terms with its legacy of the past century, the Chinese aggression over Senkaku Islands has forced Tokyo to increase its defence budget as the ruling party leaders are very vocal about defending the contested Islands from the PLA Navy.