In April 2023, India stopped watching the quantum race and stepped onto the track. The announcement of the National Quantum Mission, backed by a budget of 6,003 crore rupees, was not a research grant. It was a declaration. India would no longer outsource its quantum future. It would build it.
The mission is not vague. Within three years, India aims to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 20 to 50 physical qubits. Within eight, the target is 1,000 qubits across superconducting, photonic, and atomic platforms. These are not just numbers. They are thresholds. Crossing them means entering the realm of quantum advantage, where problems that would take classical computers centuries can be solved in minutes. The stakes are not academic. They are geopolitical.
India’s quantum ambition is rooted in legacy but driven by urgency. Satyendra Nath Bose’s foundational work in quantum statistics still echoes through physics classrooms. But legacy does not build chips. Cryogenic infrastructure, fabrication yield, and qubit coherence are the bottlenecks. India’s strength lies in its theoretical depth and software talent. Its weakness is hardware. That gap is narrowing.
Startups like QpiAI and BosonQ Psi are building quantum simulators and algorithms tailored for aerospace, finance, and drug discovery. TCS and IISc are investing in quantum labs and workforce development. Four thematic hubs have been established at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, and IISc Bengaluru to drive research, skill building, and commercialization. These are not isolated efforts. They are nodes in a growing ecosystem.
Globally, the pace is blistering. Google’s Willow chip, with 105 qubits, has demonstrated quantum advantage in tasks that would take classical systems billions of years. IBM is deploying error-corrected logical qubits. China has committed over 7 billion dollars to quantum industrialization. The United States is embedding post-quantum cryptography into federal infrastructure. Europe’s Quantum Act and Japan’s sensor programs show that quantum is no longer niche. It is national infrastructure.
India is not behind in vision. It is catching up in execution. The National Quantum Mission includes satellite-based quantum communication between ground stations over 2,000 kilometers. Intercity quantum key distribution is being tested using existing fiber infrastructure. These are not pilot projects. They are sovereignty plays. In a world where quantum supremacy could redefine cybersecurity, economic warfare, and intelligence gathering, India cannot afford to be a spectator.
The defense implications are clear. Quantum sensors can detect submarines and stealth aircraft. Quantum encryption can secure battlefield communication. Quantum computing can simulate nuclear reactions and optimize logistics. The Ministry of Defence and DRDO are watching closely. So are foreign governments. India has signed quantum cooperation agreements with the United States, France, and Japan. These are not academic exchanges. They are strategic alignments.
But quantum is not just about power. It is about trust. Post-quantum cryptography must be adopted across banking, healthcare, and governance. Quantum-safe encryption is not a luxury. It is a necessity. The Reserve Bank of India and CERT-In must lead the transition. Delay is not an option. The cost of compromise is incalculable.
India’s quantum journey is not linear. It is layered. It blends ancient intuition with modern precision. It draws from Vedic notions of interconnectedness and applies them to entangled particles. It respects the slowness of science but demands the speed of strategy. It is not a catch-up game. It is a sovereignty test.
The next five years will decide whether India becomes a quantum power or remains a quantum partner. The mission is clear. Build sovereign capability. Protect digital borders. Ensure that India’s quantum future is not imported. It must be indigenous. It must be intentional. And it must be irreversible.