A recent assessment highlights the vast gap India must bridge to match the capabilities of other leading nations in quantum technologies, despite launching a National Quantum Mission worth ₹6,000 crores to develop key future technologies.
India has been trailing behind global leaders like the United States and China in the realm of quantum technology, lagging significantly in both patent acquisitions and top journal publications.
The assessment, conducted by Itihaasa, a non-profit organization studying the evolution of technology and business in India, reveals that India is among 17 countries with a dedicated government program for quantum technology research and one of 12 countries with committed investments for this purpose.
However, India remains behind several countries not only in terms of committed funding but also in current technological capabilities.
India’s Rs 6,000 crore investment translates to approximately USD 0.75 billion over five years.
“It is commendable that India is among the 17 countries with formal national quantum missions and is among the top 12 countries in terms of committed investments. At the same time, we must recognize that India is lagging behind the global leaders in quantum technologies and needs to ramp up both R&D and translational aspects to catch up with them,” the assessment said.
Quantum technologies leverage the unique and counter-intuitive properties of sub-atomic particles to develop processes and devices with unprecedented capabilities and efficiencies.
Quantum computers, for instance, can perform tasks that are currently impossible for even the most powerful classical computers to complete within a useful timeframe.
India’s National Quantum Mission, launched last year, aims to develop capabilities in four key areas: quantum computing, communications, sensors and metrology, and materials. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary in the Department of Science and Technology, which is executing the quantum mission, expressed optimism about India’s prospects in certain areas.
“We already have fairly advanced capabilities in these areas (quantum communications and sensing). We even have a few start-ups doing very good work. With a little push, we should be in the global lead. With other technologies, including quantum computing, we would have to work a lot harder. But we are not starting at zero in any of these areas. We would be among the top-five, top ten, or top 15 everywhere,” he said.
Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Sood said, “In some areas, we are maybe one year behind. In others, we might be four to five years behind. In some areas, we are at par with the best in the world. We have to work hard for the next few years because the fruits of these technologies are going to be transformational".
India is producing the highest number of graduates in fields related to quantum technologies, such as biochemistry, chemistry, physics, electronics and chemical engineering, mathematics, and statistics.
Over 82,000 students graduate in these subjects annually, with only the European Union, as a whole, surpassing these numbers.
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