Japan explores exporting battleship communication antennas to India

Japan is exploring the possibility of exporting battleship communication antennas to India, a development that follows external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s recent visit to Tokyo.

ET has learnt that the Japanese government is mulling how many of the Nora-50 antennas, also known as Unicorn, it can sell to India and at what cost.

Expanding defence ties in the area of defence industrial partnership was among the key talking points of Jaishankar’s Japan trip. The two sides agreed to promote technological cooperation on defence equipment as well as expanding cooperation in new areas such as space and cyber.


The deal is expected to be sealed on the sidelines of QUAD Summit here later this year or during the annual summit in Japan after the Lok Sabha polls. This will be the second time Japan will export defence equipment since it lifted a ban on such transfers in 2014. Last year, Japan exported radar systems to the Philippines.

India has been seeking to import certain advanced defence items from Japan but Tokyo has been hesitant given its policy on defence exports. The Unicorn will not violate the law as it is a communication tool.

India is also insisting that along with communication antennas Japan also consider technology transfers for local production here.

The Unicorn is deployed on Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force escort vessel FFM and is known for its stealth design in which several antennas are housed in a horn-shaped structure. It enables the SDF to detect the movement of missiles and drones with its ability to sense radio waves from a wide area.

India-Japan defence and security partnership forms an integral pillar of bilateral ties. Defence exchanges between the two countries have gained strength in recent years due to a growing convergence on strategic matters as well as the common outlook on issues of peace, security and stability of the Indo-Pacific Region.