National Quantum Mission

• 20 Apr 2023

On April 19, 2023, the Union Cabinet of India gave the green light to the National Quantum Mission (NQM), which will aid in research and development in quantum technology.

• The mission aims to seed, nurture, and scale up scientific and industrial R&D in Quantum Technology (QT) to create a vibrant and innovative ecosystem in India.
• The mission aims to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50-1000 physical qubits in eight years using superconducting and photonic technology.
• One of the objectives is to establish satellite-based secure quantum communication between ground stations within India.
• The range of the secure quantum communication will be up to 2000 km.
• Another objective is to establish long-distance secure quantum communications with other countries.
• The mission also aims to establish inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km.
• It will also help develop magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic systems and Atomic Clocks for precision timing, communications, and navigation.
• Four "Thematic Hubs" (T-Hubs) will be set up in top academic and national R&D institutes in the domains of quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices.
• The hubs will focus on generating new knowledge through basic and applied research and promote R&D.
• The mission will benefit sectors such as communication, health, finance, and energy, as well as drug design and space applications.
• The NQM will greatly benefit national priorities such as Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, Stand-up India, Start-up India, Self-reliant India, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• With the execution of the NQM, India will be joining the club of six major countries researching quantum technology, including the US, China, France, Austria, and Finland.

A qubit, short for quantum bit, is a unit of quantum information used in quantum computing. It is the quantum analogue of a classical binary bit and can represent two states simultaneously, unlike classical bits, which can only represent either a 0 or a 1.