The Indian Army has sought help from domestic firms to set up a 5G cellular network in high-altitude regions (up to 18,000 ft) for its field formations for voice calls, data, and messages.
The demand for an early roll out of the next generation communication system came when troops deployed at forward bases complained about booming sound in their radio communications, allegedly due to strong 5G waves from Chinese base stations.
The document emphasizes that companies need to provide ample evidence that their equipment is geo-redundant, meaning they will provide uninterrupted communication to the formations deployed along the border with China.
The ministry has asked for equipment that can continue to work efficiently in adverse weather conditions such as minus 20 degrees Celsius, 10 feet of snow, and up to 120 km wind speeds.
China recently installed 5G towers in contested areas such as Hot Springs and Pangong Tso along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). These are the areas where two countries have deployed thousands of troops with advanced military assets following a violent clash in June 2020, which resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and four PLA troops.
Indian citizens living near the border—from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh have been complaining about network issues for years, alleging that their mobile phones or radio were intercepted by Chinese telecom networks.
"Yes, we are aware of this situation. Unfortunately, we can not stop waves from the Chinese side. The only way we can counter this serious issue is installing more towers," a top official of the telecom ministry told Sputnik.
The rugged terrain of the Himalayas poses challenges to expediting the mobile tower installation process. But the official hopes that installation would be completed in the next one to two years.
The Defense Ministry is also looking to launch a new satellite for the armed forces, which will help use the K-band frequency.
An expert told Sputnik that Delhi needs to step up efforts to provide uninterrupted services to troops and civilians.
"With the Chinese network coming into the mobile phones of our people, the data will not reach them on its own. But the government needs to solve this problem as soon as possible," Mahesh Uppal, Director, ComFirst (India) and Telecommunications Consultant, told Sputnik.
The Indian government has planned to roll out its 5G network in September-October this year, with a spectrum auction underway from Tuesday.