India Steps into the Quantum Era: A New Dawn in Secure Communications

India’s Quantum Leap: A Game-Changer for National Security

India has marked a significant scientific milestone by successfully demonstrating free-space quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement. This breakthrough was achieved by the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Delhi. The experiment transmitted secure quantum information over a free-space optical link spanning more than a kilometer across the IIT Delhi campus.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised this achievement, calling it “a game changer in future warfare,” and emphasized that India has now entered a transformative era in secure communications. Leaders from the Defence Ministry, including DRDO Chairman Dr. Sameer V. Kamat and IIT Delhi Director Prof. Rangan Banerjee, also extended their congratulations to the team.

Revolutionizing Cybersecurity with Quantum Entanglement

At the heart of this innovation is quantum entanglement-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), a method that drastically improves the security and efficiency of data transmission. The recent experiment achieved a secure key rate of 240 bits per second with a quantum bit error rate below 7 percent — a crucial threshold for practical application.

Unlike traditional encryption, which can be vulnerable to sophisticated cyberattacks, quantum communication is theoretically unbreakable. Any attempt to intercept or measure the entangled photons disrupts their quantum state, immediately alerting users to a breach. This makes it ideal for high-stakes sectors like defense, finance, and telecom.

Scalable, Cost-Effective and Terrain-Friendly

One of the major advantages of this technology lies in its adaptability. Free-space QKD does not require optical fiber infrastructure, making it highly suitable for deployment in rough terrains or congested urban landscapes. This flexibility enables secure communication in remote and high-risk zones without extensive groundwork.

Building on a Strong Foundation

India’s journey into quantum communication has been steadily progressing. In 2022, DRDO and academic collaborators demonstrated the country’s first intercity quantum link between Vindhyachal and Prayagraj using underground dark fiber. More recently, in 2024, the successful distribution of quantum keys over a 100 km spool of telecom-grade optical fiber further solidified India’s credentials in the quantum domain.

These achievements are part of DRDO’s broader strategy through the DIA-CoEs established in top institutes like IITs and IISc to foster innovation in advanced defense technologies.

A Vision for the Future

This successful demonstration not only boosts India’s national defense capabilities but also positions the country as a global contender in quantum technology. As cyber threats evolve, India’s focus on secure, next-gen communication is both timely and strategic, setting the stage for resilient defense and digital sovereignty.

(With agency inputs)