The Indian government is set to partner with leading Information Technology (IT) firms like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HCLTech and Tech Mahindra in a INR 6,000 crore initiative aimed at developing software for quantum technologies according to a recent report.
This scheme, designed to support Indian startups and scientists in the emerging quantum tech field, signifies a significant step towards harnessing quantum computing capabilities.
Ajai Chowdhry, co-founder of HCL and chairman of the mission governing board of the National Quantum Mission, revealed that the government plans to engage major IT companies in researching quantum technologies due to the extensive algorithmic requirements in this domain.
“We are going to involve our software companies like TCS, HCL, Tech Mahindra, etc., in this effort. We want them to conduct research on quantum technologies because there is a huge amount of algorithms required for quantum,” he said, according to the report.
The mission is laying groundwork to establish four separate hubs focusing on quantum hardware, quantum encryption, sensors, and materials by August. These hubs, to be located in esteemed research institutions such as Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), will operate as non-profit Section 8 companies, empowering their leaders to make strategic decisions.
Chowdhry emphasised the mission’s objective to involve startups in quantum tech, with approximately 50 startups already active in the sector. These startups will receive mentoring and initial seed funding through the thematic hubs, fostering innovation and growth in quantum computing.
“A bank or an electrical grid in India can be attacked by an adequate quantum computer sitting in China. We must start working on making our country quantum secure. We are going to work with different agencies in the government to make them aware that something like this has to be done, or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should start to work on creating a policy for making all banks,” said Chowdhry.
“We will create our own quantum computers. For the period we don’t have a quantum computer, we’ll buy a few quantum computers to do research on. But we are not going to use quantum computers only on the cloud, because it’s very expensive,” he added.
Quantum computing, leveraging quantum physics principles, offers unparalleled computational capabilities compared to traditional computing. A quantum computer’s ability to represent multiple values simultaneously enables rapid solution of complex problems that would be impractical for conventional computers.
Global tech giants like Google, IBM, and Intel have heavily invested in quantum computing, with China leading significant funding efforts.
The mission’s long-term goals include developing intermediate-scale quantum computers, secure quantum communications, quantum materials, and quantum devices to advance various sectors, including banking, communications, and navigation.
Chowdhry highlighted the urgency of making India quantum secure to mitigate potential cyber threats, advocating for strategic collaborations and policy development in quantum technology adoption. The mission’s comprehensive agenda encompasses a range of quantum technologies, aiming to position India at the forefront of quantum computing and applications.
