New Delhi:
The cabinet on Wednesday approved the National Quantity Mission to accelerate quantum technology-led economic growth and develop India as a leading nation in the development of quantum technologies and applications (QTAs).
The mission on which the government will spend Rs 6,003 crore over eight years (2023-24 to 2030-31) will catapult India into the elite club of six countries already working in the field. The first six in this league are the US, China, France, Canada, Finland and Austria. The mission in India aims to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50–1000 physical qubits in eight years across various platforms such as superconducting and photonic techniques.
Satellite based secure quantum communication between ground stations within a range of 2,000 km within India, long distance secure quantum communication with other countries, inter-city quantum key distribution over 2,000 km as well as multi-node quantum networks quantum memories There are also some deliverables of the mission. Quantum technology (QT) will also be used in metrological applications, making weather forecasting systems more accurate.
The Science and Technology Minister said, “The National Quantum Mission will give India a quantum leap in the technology sector.” Jitendra Singh,
Noting that quantum technology is essentially related to information processing, Singh said, “Our classical computer was based on a transistor system, but quantum computing will be based on atoms. Hence, its speed is higher…. Quantum technology We will benefit greatly from it.” in various fields such as communications, IT, pharmaceuticals, health, financial and energy sectors as well as drug design, space applications, and government Atmanirbhar Bharat,
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur Said, “A mission director post will be created. A mission secretariat will also be set up. A governing body will be set up and it will be headed by an eminent scientist from industry or entrepreneur.” The mission will work under the overall supervision of the principal scientific advisor to the government.