Yesterday it was announced that 5G trials in India have commenced, however the Government did not grant permissions to Chinese companies for the same. Beijing has now expressed deep concerns over the move and said that it would not be "conducive to the innovation and development of related Indian industries."

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The Indian Department of Telecommunications granted approvals to a dozen companies to conduct six-month trials for 5G technology. Companies like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and MTNL were given permission to test equipment made by companies such as Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and C-DOT.

Notably, Chinese telecommunications giants Huawei and ZTE who have been operating in India’s telecom sector for years were not part of the picture. In reaction to the move, Wang Xiaojian, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, said in a statement that showed, “concern and regret that Chinese telecommunications companies have not been permitted to conduct 5G trials with Indian Telecom Service Providers in India.”

“Relevant Chinese companies have been operating in India for years, providing mass job opportunities and making a contribution to India’s infrastructure construction in telecommunications,” Xiaojian said.

“To exclude Chinese telecommunications companies from the trials will not only harm their legitimate rights and interests but also hinder the improvement of the Indian business environment, which is not conducive to the innovation and development of related Indian industries”.

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This is not the first time a country has left out Chinese players in the expansion of 5G networks. The US and UK have previously banned companies from using equipment from the two Chinese giants and many in India are demanding the same. Xiaojian said that China hopes that “India could do more to enhance mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, and provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory investment and business environment for market entities from all countries, including China, to operate and invest in India”.

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