India’s Quantum Mission

In News

• India’s National Quantum Mission could be a game changer in multiple sectors, from defence, energy, and environment to healthcare and civil applications.

About Quantum Technology 

• About:
  • It is based on the principles of Quantum mechanics developed in the early 20th century to describe nature at the scale of atoms and elementary particles. 
  • Scientists have expanded quantum theory to understand biological phenomena such as smell, consciousness, enzyme catalysis, photosynthesis, avian navigation like that of the Robin, origin of life and effects on coronavirus. 
• Applications:
  • It is manifested through applications in secure communication, disaster management through better prediction, computing, simulation, chemistry, healthcare, cryptography, imaging among others. 

About National Quantum Mission (NQM) 

• About:
  • It will mainly work towards strengthening India’s research and development in the quantum arena alongside indigenously building quantum-based (physical qubit) computers which are far more powerful to perform the most complex problems in a highly secure manner.
  • DST will lead this national mission, supported by other departments. 
    • Presently, R&D works in quantum technologies are underway in the US, Canada, France, Finland, China, and Austria.
• Focus: 
  • The mission will focus on developing quantum computers (qubit) with physical qubit capacities ranging between 50 – 1000 qubits developed over the next eight years. 
    • Computers up to 50 physical qubits will be developed over three years, 
    • 50 – 100 physical qubits in five years, and 
    • Computers up to 1000 physical qubits in eight years.
  • 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. 
  • Single-photon sources/detectors, and entangled photon sources will also be developed for quantum communications, sensing, and metrological applications.
• Themes: 
  • Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) will be set up in top academic and National R&D institutes on the domains – 
    • Quantum Computing, 
    • Quantum Communication, 
    • Quantum Sensing & Metrology, and 
    • Quantum Materials & Devices. 
  • The hubs will focus on the generation of new knowledge through basic and applied research as well as promote R&D in areas that are mandated to them.

Significance

• For India, investments in quantum materials and devices can generate a cadre of highly skilled workforce. 
• As India gears to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, a strongly networked material infrastructure in the country will be crucial. 
  • It will cater to not just quantum technologies but also other major scientific megaprojects ranging from the semiconductor mission to neutrino observatory and gravitational wave detection. 
• It would greatly benefit communication, health, financial and energy sectors as well as drug design, and space applications. 
• It will provide a huge boost to National priorities like digital India, Make in India, Skill India and Stand-up India, Start-up India, Self-reliant India, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Suggestions

• Research:
  • Research will be required to develop low-loss materials for superconducting quantum electronics that preserve quantum information over a long period, novel semiconductor nanostructures for the high-brightness source of entangled photons and much more. 
    • The impact of much of the research cuts across multiple verticals of quantum technologies, and this necessitates dedicated and centralised material/device infrastructures.
• Capacity building:
  • Achieving these tasks will require leveraging the evolving scientific infrastructure in the country and aligning with some of the key national mandates. 
  • Capacity building in the past two decades under national initiatives, such as the Nano Mission, has enabled a five-fold increase in research publications in this area
• Need of new talent:
  • The National Quantum mission will require a significant component of materials research to be carried out in goal-oriented multi-institutional consortia. 
  • This will demand strategic recruitment of new talent, synergistic multi-institutional collaboration and political will to ease bureaucratic norms and prevent delays in infrastructure building — to ensure that the mission’s deadlines are met.
• Benefitting from existing initiatives:
  • This activities could also benefit from the government’s support through the Startup India initiative and other schemes.

Way Ahead

• India needs to create a well-balanced R&D ecosystem where material research for near-term goals and applications needs to coexist and collaborate with those with more fundamental and futuristic objectives.
• Material domains in all aspects of quantum technology — computing, communications, and sensing — are still developing. 
• Hence there is a chance that through timely investment and efficient management, India will emerge a global leader in the field.