India Becomes 6th Nation in World to Start Quantum Technology Mission

New Delhi: Government of India on Wednesday approved the National Quantum Mission. This will boost up scientific and industrial research and development in the field of quantum technology. This mission involves an expenditure of Rs 6,003.65 crore from 2023-24 to 2030-31.

After the US, Austria, Finland, France and China, India will be the sixth country to have a dedicated quantum mission.

The National Quantum Mission (NQM) was approved at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “NQM is going to give India a quantum jump in this arena,” said Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.

Four thematic hubs (T-Hubs) will be set up in top academic and national research and development institutes on the domains – quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices.

The mission would greatly benefit communication, health, financial and energy sectors as well as drug design, and space applications.

“The new mission targets developing intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50-1000 physical qubits in eight years in various platforms like superconducting and photonic technology,” said Jitendra Singh.

This mission will also promote the design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures, and topological materials for fabrication of quantum devices, he added.