India will allow all players, including Huawei to participate in the 5G trials: Prasad

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said on Monday that the government will not bar any equipment suppliers, such as China's Huawei, in the upcoming trials for 5G. It will allocate airwaves to all telecom service providers for conducting trials of super-fast speed 5G networks.

Though Huawei is banned in the US, many countries have allowed telecom service providers to use Chinese gears. India is the latest one to indicate its unwillingness to keep any company out of 5G trials.

This implies that all operators, backed by equipment vendors they have decided to partner with, will be able to participate in the upcoming 5G trials in the country, and the stance is expected to spell relief for Huawei.

"The age of 5G is coming... We have taken a decision to give 5G spectrum for trials to all the players," Prasad said on the sidelines of a telecom event.

Prasad further added that the telecom department will work out the details.

"I would like new innovations by Indian players in 5G. 5G is future, it is speed. Therefore, we will encourage new innovations in 5G," the minister said.

The 5G trials are widely-expected to begin in the last quarter of the current financial year. Sources had recently said the government has received seven applications for 5G trials and added that all operators and vendors (including Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE and Samsung) are keen to participate.

Huawei had earlier said that it is hopeful that the Indian government will treat all foreign investments "fairly" and had urged the world's largest democracy to make an "independent decision" on permitting 5G trials in the country. The Chinese firm had also sought that the company is fully compliant with regulations in India, and of addressing concerns around cybersecurity.