New Delhi, February 8 (IANS). Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said India has now joined the select few countries that have a National Quantum Mission, which aims to set up a quantum computer with 1,000 qubits and a quantum communication network of 2,000 km, which will bring about a paradigm shift in defence, cyber security and healthcare.
A budget of approximately Rs 6,000 crore has been kept for this mission. This mission is being implemented in 43 institutions located in 17 states and 2 union territories of the country. It is divided into four main areas – quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices.
Addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of ‘Amaravati Quantum Valley’ in Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said that under this mission, a target has been set to develop a quantum computer with 1,000 physical qubits in the next 8 years, establish a secure quantum communication network, enable long distance quantum communication and distribution of secure quantum between cities up to 2,000 km.
The Minister said that quantum technology has now become not just an option but a strategic necessity. If India wants to protect its communication system, defense system, health innovation and global technological identity in the coming years, it will have to remain ahead in this field.
In the foundation stone laying ceremony, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Minister of State Nara Lokesh, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government Professor Ajay Kumar Sood and several senior officials were present.
The minister said that the rapid development that has taken place in Andhra Pradesh in the last one year is a good example of cooperation between the Center and the state. This is called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘double engine model’, in which the Center and the states work together.
Giving the example of the National Center for Ocean Sciences built in Visakhapatnam, he said that this project was started in 2006, but remained stuck for about 20 years. It was completed within a few months after the arrival of the present state government.
–IANS
DBP/