UK plans new 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, says report

The group will aim to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other technologies to avoid relying on China

The British government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, amid growing security concerns related to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, according to a UK media report.

A so-called “D10” club of democratic partners, including G7 countries — UK, US, Italy, Germany, France, Japan and Canada — plus Australia, South Korea and India will aim to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other technologies to avoid relying on China, The Times reported.

The move to speed up such a club comes as the UK launched an inquiry into Huawei's involvement in the country's mobile network upgrade in the wake of US sanctions against the company. “We need new entrants to the market. That was the reason we ended up having to go along with Huawei at the time,” the newspaper quoted a UK government source as saying.

Nokia and Ericsson are the only European suppliers of 5G infra and experts say they cannot provide 5G kit as quickly or as cheaply as Huawei. Britain has labelled Huawei a “high-risk” vendor and its involvement in the UK's 5G upgrade comes with a 35 per cent market cap, including a ban on its participation in the sensitive “core” of the network.