India and Japan sign new agreement on IT, seek to increase cooperation in 5G, AI

A new agreement on the Information technology (IT) sector that seeks to increase cooperation in 5G, Artificial intelligence (AI), and submarine cable network was on Saturday signed between Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Japan's Minister for Internal Affairs Takeda Ryota.

The Japanese Minister during the signing of the agreement said, “I am convinced of the critical importance for Japan and India to deepen cooperation in various fields as both countries share values and a larger diplomatic vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. I am therefore extremely pleased to have been able to sign this comprehensive MOC with Minister Prasad in the field of ICT and digital."

The current agreement is seen as signifying the increased level of trust between the two countries even as the IT sector has become a vital part of the daily lives of people around the world.

On 5G, the Japanese minister said, "Japan is willing to share our experience and expertise and work together towards the successful introduction of 5G in India.”

Japan already has experience in AI and optic fibre cables in India. Japanese company NEC had laid the submarine optical fibre cables between Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2020. In terms of AI, a Japanese company Olympus has been working with the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad to introduce AI-assisted diagnosis of colonoscopy.

“Under the COVID pandemic, it is increasingly recognized that the digital transformation is becoming even more important. In order to accelerate the digital transformation across the society, we would like to further engage in cooperative projects in the ICT with India", Takeda said, highlighting the connection between IT and impact on the economy. The development comes in the run-up to India and Japan celebrating 70 years of establishment of relationship in 2022.