Quantum Communication
Quantum Information Technology (QIT) is a class of emerging technology
that improves information processing capability by harnessing principles of
quantum mechanics. Quantum principles are used for engineering solutions to
extremely complex problems in computing, communications, sensing, chemistry,
cryptography, imaging and mechanics. The prime factorization quantum algorithm
has important implications for security as it can be used to break RSA
encryption, a popular method for secure communication.
Quantum Communications Technology
The range of quantum
technologies is expected to be one of the major technology disruptions that
will change entire paradigm of computation, communication and encryption;
provides the space for many start-up companies to form and develop.
It has become imperative both for government and industries to be prepared to
develop these emerging and disruptive technologies in order to secure our
communications, financial transactions, remain competitive, drive societal
progress, generate employment, foster economic growth and to improve the
overall quality of life. National level efforts initiated to become Atamnirbhar in Quantum Information Technology (QIT):
·
Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India has
initiated a new directed research programme on
“Quantum Information Science and Technology (QuST)”
with the objective to develop quantum computers, quantum communication &
cryptography, Quantum enhanced and inspired technology and advanced mathematical
quantum techniques, algorithms and theory of quantum information systems in
broad thematic areas viz., Quantum information technologies with photonic
devices; Quantum information technologies with solid state, nitrogen vacancy,
Magnetic Resonance; Quantum information technologies with ion-trap and
optical-lattice devices; Quantum information technologies with superconducting
qubit devices and quantum dot devices; Mathematical and Fundamental aspects of
quantum computation and quantum information.
·
The Government of India in budget 2020, has announced a National Mission
on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA) with a total budget outlay
of Rs 8000 Crore for a period of five years( now 8
years) to be implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST),
with establishment of Technology Innovation Hubs(T-Hubs) in - Quantum
Computing; Quantum Communication; Quantum Sensing and Metrology; Quantum
Material and Devices. The Government’s financial and organizational support
will also ensure that both public and private sectors are benefitted. It will
establish standards to be applied to all research and help stimulate a pipeline
to support research and applications well into the future. Department of
Telecommunications (DoT) is supporting this initiative and C-DoT ( Centre for Development of Telematics) , an R&D
institution under DoT, is designated as T-Hub for communication domain under
NM-QTA.
·
To proliferate and leverage the quantum technology in Communications
domain, DoT constituted a multi-stakeholder committee , with representatives
from Governments, Academia, R&D institutions and industry, which is
mandated to prepare a roadmap for quantum communications in India covering all
aspects that includes – building synergies across institutions; identifying use
cases and applications and enable pilot trails; Facilitate IPR creation;
Standards Development and coordinate India’s position Global Standards bodies;
Policy measures to promote Quantum Communication Products, Production and
deployment. The Government will synergies it’s
policies and collaborative efforts to put country on global quantum
communication map.
The base of Indian start-ups ecosystem in Quantum Communication and
computation, has been developing fast in last few years.
Important topics on Quantum Communications
Quantum key distribution (QKD), Quantum Secure Direct Communication,
Quantum entanglement distribution, Quantum random number generator, Single
photon detector are important topics in quantum communications domain.
Activities
and Building Synergies
A strategy is required in place , for
building synergy among companies/institutes with similar kinds of
end-product/solution and devise some action plan for protecting IPRs to avoid
reinventing the wheel. There are challenges as various organizations involved
in identical works , may see one another as
competitors. One such solution can be to encourage interoperability of equipment
from multiple vendors, which will require different organizations working on
the same product /solution to collaborate and synergize. To mitigate this
problem, effort are on to facilitate a consolidated list of global
institutions, experts and engagement.
The comprehensive list is hosted with view only rights, and
editing rights are given to pre-identified representative from respective
academic institutes, government agencies and companies to maintain the
authenticity of the information. This sheet is being updated at regular
intervals for up-to-date development.
For more information please visit www.
For the development of quantum communication infrastructure,
primary emphasis is on development of an end-to-end quantum network that will
lead to many crucial applications in the field of secure communication, quantum
key distribution, and multi-party quantum conferences. Some important use-cases
and applications are listed here-
·
Quantum Key Distribution(QKD) : Application of QKD
is already happening in a number of industries to safeguard and protect both
sensitive client information and business critical data.
·
Healthcare Industry: Healthcare data is ultra-sensitive and critical to both
patients and medical institutions.
·
Government and Defence: Quantum-safe
encryption systems enable a quantum key generation platform for highly secure
cryptology operations and quantum key distribution maintains long-term data
integrity.
·
Industrial Control Systems: QKD systems within ICCs networks will
secure the critical communications between distributed control units without a additional network complexity.
·
Grids and Power Distribution: QKD will offer a low-cost and secure
alternative to classical systems.
·
Distributed Quantum Computing: Small-scale quantum networks can enable a
cluster of small-capacity quantum processors that will be crucial in setting up
future quantum data centers and workstations.
·
Quantum Cloud Computing: Quantum internet will define the future of cloud quantum
computing for large-scale interconnection with quantum computing resources over
clusters.
·
Smart City Networks: Optical fibre-based quantum links
are starting to provide secure communications across critical points in cities
such as security services, government agencies, banks, grids, and healthcare
centers.
·
Satellite Quantum Communication: Large-distance key
distribution and communications are enabled by satellite-based QKD systems.
Such systems will play a key role in intercontinental secure communications
across geo-locations.
·
Quantum Computing (QC): QC will enable it to take advantage of
superior resources and processing power by implementing quantum algorithms on
distributed hardware to solve computational problems which may be intractable
on individual quantum processors.
·
Ultra-precise and Ultra Secure Quantum Clocks/GPS to enable the
possibility of extremely precise clock synchronization and GPS, which also
potentially improves security against both internal and external threats.
·
Radio Frequency Sensing: Connected quantum sensors to measure radio frequencies with
arbitrary frequency resolution with applications in the industrial Internet of
Things (IIoT).
·
Financial and Banking Industry: Banking industry can effectively use the quantum random
number generators (QRNG) technology to generate keys for security applications
and cryptologic operations, such as authentication, digital signatures, and
secure access control.
·
Protecting High value/Sensitive Data in Remote Data Centers: Many private
businesses, organizations and government entities are required to back up their
most critical information and ensure data availability for business continuity
purposes.
Products
The details of various technology organizations
engaged in development of the state-of-the-art quantum products and solutions
are summarized below- See
Table ID -23
Global
Activities
IP(Intellectual Property) can be a unique
selling proposition (USP) of the product or service in today’s competitive
and dynamic world. It helps create a sustainable and defensible differentiator
for the Start-ups, Academia and Industry. Moreover, by creating a high entry
barrier, it helps enterprises to grow faster with respect to its competitors.
Since it creates good value for the venture, IP protection is important for
enterprises.
IPR creation roadmap has four dimesntons:
1. Core products and
technology being/to be developed
2. Integration,
certifications and complainces to be met
3. Minituriazation of produicts
through integrated photonics
4. Ubiquotous deployment
through enterprise solutions and QKD Satellite
In the last 5-7 years several IPs are created in QCT domain in
India. The below link captures the latest status of the IPs crated by
start-ups, enterprises, and academic institutes.
Plan Of Action
Policy Measures
A suitable ecosystem is needed in place to study and harness the
unique microscopic quantum mechanical properties. It is an interdisciplinary
field, lying in the cross-over of areas such as quantum physics, condensed
matter physics, computer science, mathematics, and electrical engineering.
Therefore, a success story of the modern quantum revolution is possible through
the collective effort of all the stakeholders. The policy measures to facilitate
growth of Quantum are essentially needed for the success of QIS, Quantum
Sensing, Quantum Computing , Quantum Communications or
any other attributes of the quantum revolutions.
Policy interventions are needed ,broadly
in following domain related to quantum: -
·
Human
resources for current technological challenges and for future outgrow
·
Seamless
information exchange
·
Cross-disciplinary
collaboration
·
Integrated
Quantum Computing & Network Architectures
·
Miniaturization
and Fabrication
·
Establishing
Critical Infrastructure / Access
·
National
Security Implications
Generation of new standards to cater to the implementation of
the quantum communication networks requires intensive collaborative efforts for
several years. Standardization activities involve identification of gaps and
inadequacies in the existing standards and realization of the new use cases,
definition and measurement of benchmark parameters over a testbed to include
them in the standard and generation of test cases to validate the
implementations of the standard. It entails funding requirements for -
·
The testbed for generating test cases, benchmark parameters that
get in to the standards, validation of implementations from different
organizations for the adherence of standards and to provide assistance for
certification ( the standards developed here are expected to get in to 3GPP,
ISO, IEEE etc.).
·
Participation in Global Standardization Bodies for submission of
Indian contributions on Quantum Communications.
