India and Japan have elevated their defence partnership with Project UNICORN, a stealth naval radio antenna system that will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s survivability and operational secrecy. 

By consolidating multiple exposed antennas into a single Radome mast, UNICORN reduces radar cross-section and denies adversaries the ability to fingerprint Indian warships.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi co-chaired high-level bilateral defence talks in New Delhi. This marked Koizumi’s maiden official visit to India.

The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific under the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The meeting was highlighted by the signing of a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation.

The agreement enhances information sharing between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy. It strengthens Maritime Domain Awareness, expands collaboration in search and rescue, and improves humanitarian assistance.

The leaders also reviewed progress on Project UNICORN, the shipborne stealth integrated radio antenna system, marking the first transfer of defence equipment between the two nations.

UNICORN represents a breakthrough in naval stealth technology. Unlike conventional warship masts cluttered with exposed antennas, UNICORN integrates tactical data link, TACAN, communications, Identification Friend or Foe, and Electronic Support Measures into a single enclosed radome.

This sharply reduces radar reflections, making vessels harder to detect and classify. For the Indian Navy, this means enhanced survivability in contested waters where adversaries rely on radar fingerprinting.

The system was jointly developed by NEC Corporation, Sampa Kogyo K.K., and Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. It is already deployed on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, which achieve radar cross-sections two orders of magnitude smaller than conventional frigates.

India’s co-production will be executed by Bharat Electronics Limited, with Japan providing design expertise and India handling integration and manufacturing. This aligns with the Make in India program and strengthens indigenous shipbuilding capacity.

The stealth advantage is particularly relevant in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s PLA Navy catalogues radar signatures of warships. By eliminating antenna clutter, UNICORN denies China the ability to identify Indian vessels by electronic fingerprint. This enhances operational secrecy and complicates adversary surveillance networks.

The talks also focused on expanding defence shipbuilding under the Make in India framework. India’s MAHASAGAR initiative was aligned with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy. Both sides agreed to accelerate preparations for the fourth 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo, underscoring the strategic depth of the partnership.

For the Indian Navy, UNICORN offers multiple operational advantages. It reduces electromagnetic interference, improves bandwidth efficiency, and enables secure high-speed communications. 

Maintenance cycles are simplified, as the mast can be replaced as a single unit. The system also incorporates lightning protection and weather-resistant construction, ensuring durability in maritime environments.

This project symbolises more than a technological upgrade. It is a strategic milestone in Indo-Japanese defence cooperation, combining Japan’s advanced design expertise with India’s manufacturing capacity. It reinforces shared geopolitical objectives in the Indo-Pacific, ensuring that Indian warships will be stealthier, more survivable, and better integrated into modern naval warfare.

ANI