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The National Quantum Mission and its hubs, quantum computers, quantum communication and cryptography, and quantum sensing. Prelims has asked about qubits and about the targets and hubs of the National Quantum Mission.
Foundation note: Quantum concepts: qubit, superposition, entanglement, decoherence
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2025: the Majorana 1 chip and quantum computing
All 4 articles shown; the 1 that changed from 1 to 31 August 2026 are marked.Show only these
National Quantum Mission
Copy link to National Quantum MissionPrelims and Mains
The National Quantum Mission, approved in 2023 and run by the Department of Science and Technology, funds India's work in quantum technology through four thematic hubs, each led by an institute.
- It aims at intermediate scale quantum computers of 50 to 1,000 physical qubits over eight years.
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology runs Qniverse, a quantum computing platform.
Quantum computing
- Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
- With the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
Quantum communication
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras
- With the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)
Quantum sensing and metrology
- IIT Bombay
Quantum materials and devices
- IIT Delhi
What changed
30 Sep 2026
- The mission has shown quantum secure communication over 1,000 km in about three years, against a target of 2,000 km in eight.
- A link between Chennai and Bengaluru combined post quantum cryptography with quantum key distribution on existing optical fibre.
30 Jul 2026BriefThe Mission now spans four hubs: computing, communication, sensing and metrology, and materials and devices. The outlay is about ₹6,000 crore to 2030 to 31. PIB, 30 Jul 2026: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION (opens in a new tab)
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2026: the mission's qubit target and its four thematic hubs
Further reading: National Quantum Mission (DST)
C-DOT quantum security products
Copy link to C-DOT quantum security productsPrelims and Mains
C-DOT's quantum security products protect communications against a quantum computer able to break today's encryption.
- Such a computer does not exist yet, but traffic recorded today can be kept and read once one does.
- India's answer has a physical half and a mathematical half, and C-DOT builds both.
What changed
31 Aug 2026BriefC-DOT unveiled 14 indigenous quantum security products. They include fibre based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems, a measurement device independent QKD system and an indigenous single photon detector. Its quantum safe encryptors work at up to 200 Gbps on Post-Quantum Cryptography algorithms standardised by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). PIB, 31 Aug 2026: C-DOT launches 14 indigenous quantum-security products (opens in a new tab)
Quantum advantage claim from India
Copy link to Quantum advantage claim from IndiaPrelims and Mains
Quantum advantage is a result a quantum computer reaches faster than any known classical method.
- The Quantum Advantage Tracker marks a claim superseded if a classical method later matches it.
What changed
12 Jul 2026BriefA team at BITS Pilani, with IBM, simulated the behaviour of quarks and gluons under the strong nuclear force on 120 qubits in 20 seconds, against about two hours classically. It is the first active claim from an Indian laboratory on the Quantum Advantage Tracker. The Hindu, 12 Jul 2026: Indian lab designs quantum algorithm to beat computers (opens in a new tab) · PIB, 29 Jul 2026: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DEVELOPMENT OF QUANTUM ALGORITHMS BY INDIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS (opens in a new tab)
The Majorana dispute
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A Majorana is a long theorised particle that Microsoft's approach seeks as a stable gap in a highly conductive wire, which would make longer lasting qubits.
- Qubits are powerful but fragile and often lose their state within fractions of a second.
- Rivals such as IBM and Quantinuum use better understood approaches that do not depend on it.
- Two earlier Microsoft backed Nature papers were retracted.
What changed
25 Jun 2026BriefA peer reviewed critique in Nature (24 June) questions Microsoft's February 2025 Nature paper that underpins its plan for a working quantum system by 2029, saying its software gave inconsistent results and the wider data show only noise. Microsoft's claim to have found the Majorana has not been published in a peer reviewed journal. The Hindu, 25 Jun 2026: Microsoft's quantum computing technology called into question again (opens in a new tab)