India, Japan Sign Historic Defence Pact To Develop UNICORN Masts For Indian Navy Warships

India and Japan have signed their first bilateral agreement to jointly develop defence equipment, launching a project to build advanced UNICORN shipborne communication masts for the Indian Navy.

The agreement was announced during the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi and marks the first defence co-development project between the two countries.

The project focuses on the UNICORN (Unified Complex Radio Antenna) integrated mast system, which was developed by Japan’s NEC Corporation and is used on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates.

Under the agreement, Japan will provide the design and core technology for the system, while Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will manufacture it in India with support from Japanese partners.

India will also handle system integration and localisation as part of the government’s “Make in India” initiative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the agreement marks a new phase in defence cooperation between the two countries.

“Today, we have signed an agreement on the first co-development project between India and Japan in the defence sector. This project for a naval radio antenna will open a new chapter in our defence technology partnership,” Modi said after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the project covers the development and licensed production of the UNICORN shipborne communications mast.

India plans to integrate its own sensors and antennas into the mast before installing it on Indian Navy warships. The new system is expected to gradually replace the existing communication and sensor mast systems used across the Navy’s fleet.

India has been interested in the technology for several years. In November 2024, the two countries reached an agreement for Japan to export UNICORN multifunctional masts to India.

In a joint statement, both countries said they had resolved the remaining technical issues related to the UNICORN project in principle and agreed to explore more defence equipment and technology cooperation in the future.

Modi also welcomed Japan’s review of its rules on the transfer of defence equipment and technology, saying it could create more opportunities for defence industrial cooperation.

What is the UNICORN integrated mast?

The UNICORN, also known as the NORA-50 integrated mast, was jointly developed by NEC Corporation, Sampa Kogyo K.K. and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. for Japan’s Mogami-class frigates.

Instead of mounting several antennas across a ship’s superstructure, the UNICORN system combines communication, surveillance and electronic warfare equipment into a single integrated mast.

The mast includes:

Omnidirectional surveillance radar antenna
Electronic Support Measures (ESM) antennas
Wi-Fi and Link 16 antennas
UHF transmit and receive antennas
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems
VHF/UHF communication antennas
Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) system
Lightning conductor

The integrated design reduces the number of external antennas, lowers maintenance requirements and helps reduce a warship’s radar cross-section, making it harder to detect. It also reduces electromagnetic interference and protects equipment from the marine environment.

The system was developed between 2015 and 2016, entered serial production in 2018 and was first installed on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates in 2019.

As part of the agreement, BEL will lead manufacturing and integration in India, while Japanese companies, including NEC Corporation, Sampa Kogyo K.K. and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., will provide design support and technology transfer.

Along with the defence agreement, India and Japan also agreed to strengthen cooperation in economic security, supply chains, clean energy and biotechnology.

The two countries also decided to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into force in 2011.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said both sides discussed whether the agreement needs updating in view of changes in global trade.

India has also sought a review of non-tariff barriers, including Japan’s sanitary and phytosanitary standards, which officials say have affected Indian exports.

The summit also resulted in a Joint Roadmap on Economic Security covering cooperation in sectors such as semiconductors, quantum technologies and advanced materials.

The UNICORN project is the first defence co-development programme under the India-Japan framework, and both countries said they will explore additional defence technology projects in the future.

References: newindianexpress, idrw