Quantum technology is a class of technology that works by using the principles of quantum mechanics (the physics of sub-atomic particles), including quantum entanglement and quantum superposition.

Recent developments

• Engineers from DRDO and IIT Delhi successfully demonstrated Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link for a distance of over 100 km. With this success, the country has demonstrated indigenous technology of secure key transfer for bootstrapping military-grade communication security key hierarchy. QKD is primarily a mechanism to undertake secure communication, which utilises a cryptographic protocol involving various components of quantum mechanics. The technology enables two communicating sides to come up with random secret keys shared by both of them and known exclusively to them, so only they can use it to encrypt and decrypt messages, thus achieving a very highly-secure communication.
• A DRDO facility, developed a Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG), which has the ability to detect random quantum events and convert those into a stream of binary digits.
• China has said that it has achieved multiple breakthroughs in the quantum technology domain that included the world’s first quantum satellite, the world’s first optical quantum computing machine prototype and also a 2000 km long quantum communication link

Schemes

• Quantum-Enabled Science & Technology (QuEST)
• National Mission for Quantum Technologies and Applications (NM-QTA)
• C-DOT’s Quantum Communication Lab

Challenges

• There is an absence of a quantum roadmap.
• There is no visibility in the quantum efforts and successes.
• And there is a lack of required skill power

Way forward

• The emphasis should be on developing a long-term plan for the next 10-15 years. The strategy must guarantee that resources are not misallocated and that efforts are concentrated on critical areas that give both economic and strategic advantages.
• The strength of startups and Big Tech organisations working on quantum technologies and applications must be tapped.
• The major focus must be on developing quantum scientific and technology centres of excellence inside university institutions as well as government research institutes.
• The Centre and states should collaborate to build “quantum innovation clusters.”
• In the near future, semiconductor fabs should be established.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-quantum-tech-demo-by-drdo-and-iit-delhi-all-about-7789057/

How to structure

1. Give an intro about quantum technologies
2. Mention some of the recent development in this field
3. Mention India’s contributions if any
4. Explain the various uses of these tech and mention any schemes
5. Conclude