India, Japan to fast-track UNICORN radar project as Indo-Pacific security concerns deepen
New Delhi, March 24. India and Japan are set to soon finalise the co-development and co-production of the advanced UNICORN radar system, signalling a new phase in their expanding defence partnership amid rising security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.
Speaking at the international conference on ‘India-Japan Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific’ organised by the India Foundation think tank here on March 24, Japan’s Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi, said the two countries are moving toward deeper military integration across domains, building on already robust maritime cooperation.
He noted that bilateral ties have evolved significantly in recent years across diplomatic and defence pillars, with the UNICORN (Unified Complex Radio Antenna) mast project emerging as a flagship initiative. Known for its stealth and advanced radio frequency capabilities, the system is expected to enhance the operational effectiveness of naval platforms. The agreement on its co-development, signed in 2024, marked a key milestone under the broader framework of defence technology cooperation initiated in 2015.
India will be the second country after the Philippines to get the Unicorn technology. The effort is to strengthen economic security with India, while addressing regional challenges from China and North Korea.
Addressing the seminar, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, warned that emerging technologies are transforming maritime security by lowering the threshold for disruption. He pointed out that drones, unmanned systems, cyberattacks and spoofing technologies are increasingly capable of threatening critical global chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz without conventional warfare.
His remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing tensions linked to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s war with the US and Israel, which has disrupted maritime traffic and driven a sharp surge in global oil prices. Despite assurances from Tehran that the strait remains open, challenges such as high insurance risks have complicated commercial shipping, including for Indian energy consignments.
Ambassador Ono underlined that discussions on the transfer of the UNICORN technology also figured in the recent talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi during the latter’s visit to New Delhi in January.
The UNICORN mast is considered among the more technologically advanced antennas in the world, owing to its stealth technology and radio frequency functioning. The masts aid in improving stealth capabilities of naval vessels.
The foundation of the defence partnership between India and Japan was initiated in 2015, when they signed the transfer of defence equipment and technology agreement. The UNICORN mast is meant to be the marquee project to kick off this dimension of ties between the countries.
He reaffirmed Tokyo’s commitment to plurilateral groupings such as the Quad, while highlighting growing cooperation with India on economic security and resilient supply chains.
It is worth mentioning here that India and Japan are aligned in confronting a common strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific – the swift and increasingly assertive expansion of China’s influence across both land and maritime domains. In response, New Delhi and Tokyo have been working closely to advance a multipolar regional order that prevents any single power from dominating the Indo-Pacific.
This strategic convergence is reflected across several interconnected areas of cooperation. The two countries regularly conduct the JAIMEX bilateral naval exercise, while also participating together in the expanded Malabar naval exercise, underscoring their growing interoperability and shared commitment to regional stability.
Also, since 2019, the institutionalisation of the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue has enabled sustained high-level coordination on security issues. Additionally, the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), signed in 2020, has significantly strengthened defence ties by allowing reciprocal logistical support during joint operations and exercises.
Admiral Tripathi highlighted that the Indo-Pacific has become the central arena for strategic competition, extending beyond traditional resources to critical minerals, rare earths and digital infrastructure. He flagged concerns over increased marine research activities, particularly vessels operating covertly in sensitive maritime zones, as well as the vulnerability of undersea cables – now emerging as key chokepoints in global data flows.
Ambassador Ono said that India-Japan discussions underscored a shared recognition in New Delhi and Tokyo of the need to deepen defence, technological and economic cooperation to navigate an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific landscape.
Significantly, said the Ambassador, under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan has sought to accelerate its defence expenditure and development of new technologies, and is set to achieve its goal of spending two percent of its gross domestic product on defence by end of fiscal 2026. And to “accelerate the review of three key security documents to the end of this year, one year ahead of the schedule.”
India Foundation Director Captain Alok Bansal said in this age of threats from various directions, cooperation was the key to build and maintain peace, and that the positive relations between India and Japan were like a guiding light towards calm seas.
