India, Japan sign agreement for UNICORN masts for Indian naval warships
The Hindu
India and Japan sign MoI for UNICORN mast co-development, marking first export of Japanese defence technology to India.
India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) for the “co-development” of UNICORN (Unified Complex Radio Antenna) mast, a conical structure that houses antennas atop warships increasing their stealth characteristics, for fitment on Indian Naval warships under the framework of the India-Japan Defence Technology Cooperation.
Once implemented, this would be the first export case of defence technology from Japan under the bilateral agreement on defence equipment and technology transfer signed in 2015.
The joint statement issued after the 2+2 inter-Ministerial dialogue in August 2024 had referred to discussions over the “early transfer” of UNICORN and related technologies.
The MoI was signed and exchanged on Friday between the Indian Envoy to Japan Sibi George and Ishikawa Takeshi, Commissioner of Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency under Japanese MoD at a ceremony in Tokyo.
The UNICORN is a mast with integrated communication systems which will help improve the stealth characteristics of Naval platforms.
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“The Indian Navy is pursuing the induction of these advanced systems which will be co-developed by Bharat Electronics Limited in India with Japanese collaboration,” the Navy said in a statement. When implemented, this would be the first case of co-development and co-production of defence equipment between India and Japan, it added.
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