Quantum Technology

India's National Quantum Mission (NQM) — an 8-year, ₹6,003.65 crore programme approved in April 2023 — hit a genuine headline moment in April 2026: Bengaluru-based startup QNu Labs, working with the mission, demonstrated a 1,000-km secure Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network using indigenous technology, achieved ahead of schedule according to DST Secretary Abhay Karandikar. The underlying ARMOS QKD platform can push secure key generation over 200 km on standard telecom fibre without amplification, and the network has been chained to scale to the 1,000-km mark — with quantum signals shown to coexist with 10 Gbps classical data traffic on the same fibre.

Other markers of momentum:

  • The government has now supported 17 quantum startups (up from eight), working across quantum biosensors, photon sensing, positioning systems, atomic memory and precision electronics.
  • The Quantum Valley project in Amaravati, a "Triple Helix" collaboration between government, industry (IBM, TCS, L&T) and academia, aims to install India's first 133-qubit quantum computer.
  • India is the seventh country to launch a dedicated national quantum mission, and continued to align its efforts with the US-India iCET framework, treating quantum as a pillar of strategic autonomy alongside defence and cybersecurity applications.