India, Japan ink pact to enhance cooperation in ICT

India and Japan on Friday signed a pact to enhance cooperation in the field of information and communications technology (ICT) with focus on aspects like 5G, telecom security and submarine optical fibre cable. According to an official release, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad and Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeda Ryota. It was exchanged through a video conference, the release said.

“Department of Telecom, Government of India, and Ministry of Communications, Government of Japan, will enhance mutual cooperation in the field of 5G technologies, telecom security, submarine optical fibre cable system to islands of India, and spectrum management,” it said. The two countries will also cooperate smart cities, high altitude platform for broadband in unconnected areas, disaster management and public safety, the release added. It has been agreed that apart from the ministry-level cooperation, Government of India organisations such as C-DOT and ITI Ltd along with industry partners from Japan would also be part of this cooperation. Prasad urged the Japanese electronics industry to invest in India and avail the benefits of the new technologies. The minister further highlighted the huge potential India holds for Japanese investors in the field of 5G and 5G-based services, internet of things, and digital health technologies.

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Prasad cited the timely execution of connecting Andaman and Nicobar Islands with submarine optical fibre cable as a shining example of cooperation between India and Japan. The minister highlighted that attractive polices like production-linked incentive scheme had brought large amount of investments to India in the field of electronics manufacturing, during the pandemic.