India Launches Its First Quantum Secure Communications Link
Union Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw announces successful pilot project at the first International Quantum Communication Conclave.
India has taken a significant leap forward in the field of quantum communication with the launch of its first quantum secure communications link. Union Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement at the first International Quantum Communication Conclave held in collaboration with C-DoT, TSDSI, and IEEE Communications Society Delhi chapter.
Successful Pilot Project
Vaishnaw revealed that the successful pilot project paved the way for the deployment of a quantum secure communication link between the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Bhawan and the National Informatics Centre’s CGO Complex in Delhi. The pilot project was initiated seven months ago when the first QKD (quantum key distribution) system standards were released.
Hackathon Challenge
The telecom minister also announced a hackathon challenge for the general public, inviting them to break the encryption of the system. Whoever is successful in breaking the encryption will receive a reward of Rs 10 lakhs.
Indigenous Telecom Stack
India’s indigenous telecom stack has been developed from scratch, giving the country a technological edge over other systems available globally. Vaishnaw said that the telecom stack has been tested for 10 million simultaneous connections, with heartening results. According to Vaishnaw, approximately 18-20 countries have shown their interest in implementing India’s self-developed telecom stack.
Quantum Communication Standards
Vaishnaw emphasized that quantum is the next frontier of technology and that the Prime Minister’s vision of developing telecom technology, standards, and research protocols will take an important place. Quantum communications standards were initially released last year, and a second set was recently unveiled on March 27th.
Contribution to 6G Technology
The minister believes that India can make a significant contribution to the development of 6G technology. Despite initial hiccups, India has bagged 127 patents in the sixth-generation technology within 15-16 months.
Conclusion
India’s launch of its first quantum secure communications link marks a significant milestone in the field of quantum communication. The indigenous telecom stack developed from scratch, the successful pilot project, and the announcement of the hackathon challenge demonstrate India’s commitment to being at the forefront of technological advancements. With the release of the second set of quantum communications standards, India is poised to make a significant contribution to the development of 6G technology.
