India is set to steer its “transformational” adoption of quantum technologies in a phased manner and involving premier institutions with domain expertise, Akhilesh Gupta, in-charge, NQM, said on Monday.
He said the government — under its National Quantum Mission (NQM) — would invite proposals from research institutions to set up thematic hubs on the four verticals identified under the mission: Quantum Computing, Quantum Communications, Quantum Sensing and Metrology, and Quantum Materials and Devices.
Gupta, also secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board at Department of Science and Technology (DST), was speaking during a media interaction, along with scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Raman Research Institute (RRI) and International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS).
Quantum technologies — based on the principles of quantum mechanics which studies matter at atomic and subatomic levels — are expected to change the way people compute and communicate and have revolutionary applications across sectors, from agriculture to space applications, from healthcare to banking.
“A high-level committee will finalise which institution should steer the particular vertical,” Gupta said.
Prof Urbasi Sinha who heads RRI’s Quantum Information and Computing Lab said quantum communication was critical in data protection, including in ensuring confidentiality in health records.
Last week, the Union Cabinet approved the NQM, to be taken up from 2023-24 to 2030-31, at a cost of Rs 6,003.65 crore.
“The first three years will be the developmental phase. Between the third and fifth year, the technologies could be demonstrated and after that, we can look at the market possibilities, when the technology will also be mature,” Gupta said.
Prof Sadiq Rangwala of RRI and Prof Subhro Bhattacharjee of ICTS shared insights on the possibilities in developing advanced sensors and in quantum materials and devices, respectively.
Senior quantum physicist at IISc Prof Apoorva Patel said quantum technologies could not replace existing systems fully and their adoption was likely to create many “special purpose devices and hybrid systems”.