NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub, in collaboration with IBM, has unveiled a national roadmap aimed at positioning India among the world’s top-three quantum economies by 2047. The strategy outlines plans to develop indigenous quantum computing hardware and software, nurture at least 10 globally competitive quantum companies, and secure a significant share of the international quantum software and services market.
Key points
- It also envisions deploying quantum technologies across critical sectors, including defence, energy, healthcare, logistics, and finance, to enhance national security, operational efficiency, and technological innovation.
- The roadmap builds on the foundations of the National Quantum Mission and offers a detailed assessment of India’s current capabilities, opportunities, and gaps.
- It proposes targeted interventions to boost research and development, support commercialization, expand infrastructure, and strengthen industry–academia collaboration.
What is the National Quantum Mission
- The National Quantum Mission (NQM) is a flagship initiative launched by the Government of India to accelerate the country’s progress in quantum science and technology.
- Aimed at positioning India as a global leader in this frontier domain, the mission focuses on developing cutting-edge quantum computers, secure quantum communication systems, advanced quantum sensing and metrology capabilities, and robust quantum materials and devices.
- With a strong emphasis on indigenous R&D, the NQM seeks to build world-class infrastructure, support high-impact research, and foster collaboration among universities, research institutions, startups, and industry.
- The mission is structured around four thematic verticals and includes plans for setting up state-of-the-art Quantum Technology Laboratories and national testbeds. By nurturing skilled talent and promoting innovation, the NQM aims to drive breakthrough applications in strategic sectors such as defence, cybersecurity, healthcare, energy, and finance, ultimately strengthening India’s technological sovereignty and economic competitiveness.
What’s the meaning of quantum economy
- A quantum economy refers to an emerging economic ecosystem built around the development, deployment, and commercialisation of quantum technologies.
- It encompasses advancements in quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and quantum materials, which together have the potential to transform industries by enabling unprecedented computational power, ultra-secure communication, and highly precise measurement capabilities.
- A strong quantum economy creates high-value innovation, fuels deep-tech entrepreneurship, and attracts global investments. It supports new markets, ranging from drug discovery and climate modelling to logistics optimisation and advanced cybersecurity, unlocking solutions that classical technologies cannot achieve.
