The Union cabinet’s recent approval of the Rs 6,000-crore National Quantum Mission marks a step for the country into an important emerging area of technology. Since Independence, successive governments have made efforts in mission mode in several areas so that India is not left behind in scientific and technological progress. India has succeeded in some – notably the nuclear and space domains – and has lagged in others, such as electronics. It is now taking baby steps into quantum computing. This year’s budget had made a provision of Rs 8,000 crore to be spent over five years for research and production facilities for quantum computing and quantum communications. Quantum computing is a qualitatively different kind of technology from today’s ‘classical’ computing. Sub-atomic matter, such as photons, the carriers of light, exhibit the properties of both particles and waves. Quantum computing involves harnessing them for more efficient and secure computing and communications than is possible with classical computing. In time, our whole computing vocabulary might have to change – starting from talking ‘Qubits’ for units of information, instead of today’s digital ‘bits’.
The possibilities of quantum technology are immense, provided scientists and technologists are able to address quantum-level phenomena such as entanglement and superposition. Then quantum computers would be able to solve certain problems quickly that classical computers cannot in any reasonable amount of time. It will thus have wide-ranging applications in areas that require complex modelling and computation. India cannot afford to be left behind in this technology by the US, China and Europe, which are all currently ahead in terms of years of research and building experimental quantum computers and are making massive investments to surge ahead. Private technology giants like IBM, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Nokia have also made investments and are undertaking research in quantum technology. There is competition among nations and companies and that will advance the technology.
India does not have the capability currently to produce domestically the components and parts needed for a quantum computer. But there are some efforts being made in the country. The Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Tata Consultancy Services have collaborated to develop a 7-qubit quantum computer. The national mission will help to speed up and scale up such efforts if the right ecosystem is created for public-private partnerships. The elite research institutions and universities must build up their laboratories and increase collaboration with industry.