Says mission aims to secure nation’s technological leadership, defence, cybersecurity
NEW DELHI: Describing quantum technology as a strategic necessity rather than an option, the Union minister for science & technology, and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh said India has no choice but to lead in this domain if it seeks to secure its communication systems, defence architecture, healthcare innovation, and global technological standing in the coming decades.
The foundation stone for India’s first Quantum Valley was laid in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.
“Today, we are among the first in the world to launch the future-ready “National Quantum Mission” #NQM and among the first to plan indigenous Quantum Centres. This promises for India a global role with enhanced geo-political positioning,” he said in his post on X.
“This is not merely the foundation stone of a building, but the foundation stone of India’s quantum future,” he stated.
Dr Jitendra Singh expressed deep appreciation for the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, describing him as a leader who “lives in tomorrow and dreams of the day after tomorrow”.
The Union Minister noted that India today stands among a select group of nations with a dedicated National Quantum Mission. With an allocation of approximately Rs 6,000 crore, the Mission spans 43 institutions across 17 States and 2 Union Territories, organised through four thematic hubs focusing on Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing and Metrology, and Quantum Materials and Devices.
Addressing students present at the event, the Minister stated that conventional computing and cybersecurity systems would remain vulnerable in a world where adversaries possess quantum computing capabilities.
Quantum encryption, he explained, would make data virtually impossible to breach, potentially requiring astronomical timeframes to decode. In defence and cybersecurity, this offers unprecedented strategic protection.
The national objectives include developing quantum computers with up to 1,000 physical qubits within eight years, establishing secure ground-to-ground quantum communication networks, enabling long-distance quantum communication, and achieving inter-city Quantum Key Distribution across 2,000 kilometres.
The Foundation Ceremony of Amaravati Quantum Valley was attended by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and State Minister for IT, Electronics and Education Nara Lokesh, among others.