A Brief Overview of Quantum Computing in India

Research and development of quantum computing technology has been actively carried out in India for several years. In an effort to support the growth of India’s quantum computing, the government has put in place several initiatives to support its development.

Position of the Government of India

One of the main initiatives is Quantum Computing Application Lab (QCAL)launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) working with AWS. QCAL aims to accelerate the adoption of quantum computing in India by providing access to quantum computers, tools and resources for researchers and developers.

National Mission on Quantum Technology and Applications (NM-QTA) launched in 2020 with the aim of creating a robust quantum technology ecosystem in India. next few years, it costs Rs. 8,000 crores ($1.2 billion) and implemented by the Department of Science and Technology. Under the Prime Minister’s Science and Technology Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), Quantum Technologies & Applications is one of 9 missions of national importance. This program contributes to scientific research for India’s sustainable development through the office of Principal Scientific Adviser.

That Quantum Measurement and Control Laboratory (QuMaC) studying quantum phenomena in superconducting circuits. Nanofabricated electrical circuits are engineered to behave as quantized “artificial atoms”. The two levels can be combined to form quantum bits (qubits) which store and process information. Using these qubits, one can build powerful computing machines capable of solving certain math problems exponentially faster. The Lab aims to develop and control such quantum systems by addressing fundamental challenges.

Research

Several universities and research institutes in India are also actively involved in quantum computing research. A quantum computing center at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore focuses on quantum algorithms, quantum information theory, and quantum error correction.

Other institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras And Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI) in Allahabad also has an active research program in quantum computing.

Apart from research, India is also building a quantum computing workforce. Many Indian government programs are geared towards training students and researchers in quantum computing, incl National Mission for the Quantum Frontier.

Private sector

Major Indian companies investing in quantum include information technology services and consulting firm TCS — it offers quantum computing apprenticeship programme which has been offered by the company in partnership with IIT Tirupati.

Another is Infosys, which has just launched ‘Infosys Quantum Living Laboratory’ for its clients interested in exploring quantum computing use cases.

Tel Aviv University have partnered with Wipro, a company providing information technology, consulting and business process services, to strengthen Indo-Israel scientific collaboration in the field of quantum science and technology.

To accelerate fundamental and applied research in quantum computing, Mphasis — a Bangalore-based applied technology services company — has partnered with IIT Madras to fund startups, develop talent and provide scholarships.

HCL Technology have collaborated with Sydney Quantum Academy. Through this partnership, the two hope to provide students with quantum technology education and R&D opportunities.

Smaller players are also in play, as India is well represented here, with several startups busy working on their own IP in quantum technology.

In addition to multidisciplinary optimization, BosonQ Psi develops quantum computing software solutions including computational fluid dynamics, computational structural dynamics, computational heat transfer, and computational aeroacoustics. Founded in 2020 and based in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, the company’s solutions are defined to assist the development of a wide range of applications spanning aerospace, automotive, power generation, chemical manufacturing, polymer processing, petroleum exploration, medicine, meteorology and astrophysics. .

A company founded by women, Qkrishi provides quantum models, algorithms, and kernels for various industries. The Birla Institute of Management Technology has also partnered with them to create a first-of-its-kind Quantum Computing course that integrates business and technical elements.

A Bangalore-based quantum cyber security company, QuNu Labs was founded in 2016. The basic QKD system based on the Differential Phase Shift Protocol was their first product, after four years of initial research and incubation at IIT Madras.

Key People for India Quantum Computing

With a large population and many elite technical universities to choose from, it is difficult to “choose” a specific individual who impacted quantum computing in India, but we managed to select two who are well-known in the sector.

Although not directly working in quantum, Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary to the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has been a strong supporter of quantum computing research in the country. A chemical engineer by trade, Sharma completed his master’s degree at Pennsylvania State University in 1984, before going on to earn his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University at Buffalo.

in 2021, Sharma said that for India to remain competitive and cooperate with its partners, the country must harness the potential of quantum technology and its applications.

Another important person who pushed India to take the lead in quantum technology is Ujjwal Sen. Sen has worked on several topics in quantum information theory, including quantum communications and quantum cryptography at the Harish-Chandra Research Institute in Allahabad and his main research interests are quantum information and computing, and their interface with the physics of many bodies.

Sen earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Gdansk, Poland, where he specialized in quantum information, quantum optics, and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Conclusion

Overall, India is taking significant steps to establish itself as a leading player in the global quantum computing industry. With the right support and investment, India has the potential to become a major center for quantum computing research and development.

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Featured Image: Marketa Šlehoferova from Pixabay