Quantum technology: India gives nod to its National Quantum Mission

Quantum technology is on the rise and India doesnt want to fall behind in making its mark on the quantum realm. India started the National Quantum Mission with the goal of creating R&D hubs that will help areas like communication, health, finance, and energy in its race to be among the leaders in the quantum era.

The National Quantum Mission will be funded with INR60 billion (US$730 million) between fiscal 2024 (April 2023 to March 2023) and fiscal 2031 to seed, nurture, and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and develop a quantum technology ecosystem, according to the Press Information Bureau of India.

According to Jitendra Singh, India’s minister of science and technology, the mission will help India make a quantum leap, making it the sixth nation after the US, Austria, Finland, France, and China to have a dedicated quantum mission.

According to the mission’s official press release, intermediate-scale quantum technology computers with 50–1,000 physical qubits are intended to be developed during the time period on platforms like superconducting and photonic technology.

The mission will create long-distance secure quantum communications between India and other nations as well as satellite-based secure quantum communications within India.

The mission intends to develop single photo sources/detectors, entangled photo sources, and highly sensitive magnetometers in atomic systems and atomic clocks, as well as support the design and synthesis of quantum technology materials.

India will establish four T-Hubs (Thematic Hubs) in four areas, including quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing & metrology, and quantum materials & devices, in top academic and national R&D institutions. India thinks the mission will have a positive impact on space applications, drug development, communications, health, finance, and energy.

India is attempting to catch up as major economies compete to establish quantum hegemony because quantum technology is essential for both civil and military applications. China produced 54.1% of all global quantum computing patents, 59.7% of all global quantum communications patents, and 46.2% of all global quantum sensing patents between 2000 and 2021, according to Statista.

In terms of quantum technology, China continues to lead India. The Economic Times reports that China has successfully launched its first QKD (Quantum Key Distribution) satellite, which can send data 2,600 kilometres between two ground stations. In March 2021, the Indian Space Research Organisation tested its QKD gearbox technology over a 300 km distance.

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