Beginning the long-awaited journey of becoming a quantum power, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved India’s National Quantum Mission.
The Rs 6,003.6-crore plan is set to help India build its capabilities for the new-age technology, which will eventually outpace classic computers in the future at astonishing speed. Along with this, the country has also set a target of developing quantum computers up to 100 qubits in the next five years.
The government first announced the mission in its 2020 budget, showing its commitment to infuse Rs 8,000 crore over a period of five years. The budget has now been reduced to Rs 6,003.6 crore. According to Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh, this has been done in view of the growing applications of quantum in the country.
Over the next five years till 2030-31, the Department of Science and Technology will work on developing expertise for technology that has far-reaching applications in national security, IT, pharmaceuticals, healthcare etc. The mission will focus on quantum computing, quantum communications, quantum sensing and meteorology, and quantum materials and devices. Special thematic hubs will be set up in 20 research and educational institutions where R&D work is currently underway.
Even though the technology is still at a very nascent stage and will take years to mature, experts say it is golden time for India to make a head start as the quantum race is heating up globally.
“We certainly don’t want to be left behind. Only six countries have developed R&D capabilities for quantum – Finland, Austria, France, China, Canada and the US. And, none of them are yet at the application stage I have not reached. So now India will be at par with them. We are not late,” Singh said.
What is quantum computing?
Quantum computing is predicted to be a game-changer for the world, surpassing the computing power of the most powerful computers currently available. Scientists say it could provide an “unsecured” channel of communication, which is vital to national security. Technology makes the processing of any type of information faster, more authentic, accurate and secure.
Unlike classical computers, which use the bits ‘0’ and ‘1’, quantum computers use qubits which are exponentially more powerful. These machines can run up to 100 trillion times faster than any conventional computer and can perform computational tasks that have until now been unimaginable, even predicting the outcome of chemical reactions.
At least 20 research and educational institutions across the country are already doing research and development in this area.
What is India’s plan?
Under the mission, India aims to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50 physical qubits in the next three years, up to 100 by five years and 1,000 qubit supercomputers by eight years. It will also establish satellite-based secure quantum communication between ground stations over a range of 1,500 km in three years and about 2,000 km within India in the next five years. The government is also planning to use it for cities through optic fiber covering a distance of 500 km in five years. It will also develop high-sensitivity magnetometers in nuclear systems and atomic clocks for accurate timing and navigation.
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“Whether it is telecommunications, electronics, space or defence, every department needs secure communication which quantum technology can provide. It is an extraordinary science.” “At the country level, we are not yet prepared with the next generation of skilled human resources that we need for the volume. This requires a very high level of preparedness, and that will be the main focus of the mission.”
It is also likely to promote the growth of start-ups across the country, with adequate support for scaling up.
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