About
- National Quantum Mission will be implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology.
- The mission planned for 2023-2031 aims to seed, nurture, and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT).
- With the launch of this mission, India will be the seventh country to have a dedicated quantum mission after the US, Austria, Finland, France, Canada, and China.
Salient features of NQM
- It will target developing intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50-100 physical qubits in 5 years and 50-1000 physical qubits in 8 years.
- Just like bits (1 and 0) are the basic units by which computers process information, ‘qubits’ or ‘quantum bits’ are the units of process by quantum computers.
- The mission will help develop high-sensitivity magnetometers for precision timing (atomic clocks), communications, and navigation.
- It will also support the design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures, and topological materials for the fabrication of quantum devices.
- The mission will also help to develop:
- Satellite-based secure quantum communications between ground stations range from 2000 km within India.
- Long-distance secure quantum communications with other countries
- Inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km
- Multi-node Quantum network with quantum memories
- Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) would be set up in top academic and National R&D institutes on the domains of Quantum Technology:
- Quantum computation
- Quantum communication
- Quantum Sensing & Metrology
- Quantum Materials & Devices
Significance of National Quantum Mission
- This will accelerate QT led economic growth and make India one of the leading nations in the development of Quantum Technologies & Applications (QTA) ranging from healthcare and diagnostics, defence, energy and data security.
- It will work towards indigenously building quantum-based computers that are far more powerful and are able to solve the most complex problems in a highly secure manner.
What is Quantum Technology?
- Quantum technology is a field of science and engineering that deals with the principles of quantum mechanics, which is the study of the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest scale.
- Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics that describes the behavior of matter.
Advantages of Quantum Technology
- Increased Computing Power: Quantum computers are much faster than the computers we have today. They also have the capability to solve complex problems that are currently beyond our reach.
- Improved Security: Because they rely on principles of quantum mechanics, quantum encryption techniques are much more secure than traditional encryption methods.
- Faster Communication: Quantum communication networks can transmit information faster and more securely than traditional networks, with the potential for completely unhackable communication.
- Enhanced AI: Quantum machine learning algorithms can potentially enable more efficient and accurate training of Artificial Intelligence models.
- Better Sensing and Measurement: Quantum sensors can detect extremely small changes in the environment, making them useful in areas such as medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and geological exploration.
Disadvantages of Quantum Technology
- Expensive: The technology requires specialized equipment and materials which make it more expensive than the traditional technologies.
- Limited Applications: Currently, quantum technology is only useful for specific applications such as cryptography, quantum computing, and quantum communication.
- Sensitivity to Environment: Quantum technology is highly sensitive to environmental interference, such as temperature changes, magnetic fields, and vibrations.
- Qubits are easily disrupted by their surroundings which can cause them to lose their quantum properties and make mistakes in calculations.
- Limited Control: It is difficult to control and manipulate quantum systems. Quantum-powered AI could create unintended consequences.
- Quantum-powered AI systems could potentially arrive at conclusions that are unexpected or difficult to explain as they operate on principles that are fundamentally different from classical computing.
