In Barcelona, Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer currently under scrutiny for network security issues, has announced its readiness to deploy 5G technology in India. According to Jay Chen, CEO of Huawei India, the company is prepared to commence field trials within 20 days of receiving approval from the government.
Chen stated, “Upon receiving approval from the Department of Telecommunications and allocation of spectrum, we are capable of initiating a 5G trial within a span of 20 days.“
Regarded as the upcoming evolution in wireless technology, 5G facilitates secure connections among various devices beyond just smartphones, including sensors, vehicles, robots, and drones. This paves the way for transformative advancements across industries, spanning from agriculture and healthcare to manufacturing and warehousing.
Last year, the government established a high-level committee charged with devising a roadmap for the introduction of 5G networks in India. Additionally, the government has established a testing ground for 5G trials at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. Huawei’s competitor, Ericsson, has also established a trial facility at IIT Delhi, while Huawei intends to establish its own trial facility.
“We are engaging with industry stakeholders, government bodies, and academic institutions, and we anticipate setting up a laboratory for 5G trials by June of this year,” remarked Chen.
Huawei anticipates India becoming the second-largest 5G market globally, following China, within a decade. It foresees the emergence of applications such as facial recognition and video surveillance with the rollout of 5G in India. “In terms of 5G, Europe and North America are lagging behind. It’s the Asian nations that are leading the way in 5G,” he added.
As the global community prepares for the deployment of 5G technology, Huawei is encountering growing resistance from governments concerned about the potential for its telecommunications equipment to be exploited by Chinese intelligence agencies, an allegation consistently refuted by the company.
Australia, New Zealand, and the US have implemented measures to prevent Huawei from supplying equipment for 5G networks. However, Britain has concluded that it can manage the purported risks associated with utilizing Huawei equipment in 5G networks, as reported by the Financial Times on February 17th. At the same time, Canada is examining the potential security implications of using Huawei gear. Additionally, the US is pursuing legal action against Huawei, alleging offenses such as money laundering, bank fraud, and intellectual property theft.
The US is lobbying against Huawei in India and everybody knows that,” Chen said.
In a Reuters report dated February 11th, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned allies that integrating Huawei equipment into their networks could complicate potential partnerships with the US. Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan announced that the Indian government intends to assess network security risks associated with the presence of Chinese equipment suppliers in India. As of now, no decision has been made regarding Huawei’s participation in 5G trials.
