India has taken a giant step into the future of secure communication with a recent breakthrough in quantum technology at IIT Delhi.
The DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) along with IIT Delhi have successfully demonstrated free-space quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement for a distance more than 1 km.
They sent encrypted information securely over a free-space optical link covering a distance of more than 1km on the IIT Delhi campus.
The Defence Ministry stated that the experiment attained a secure key rate of nearly 240 bits per second with a quantum bit error rate of less than 7%. This entanglement-assisted quantum secure communication paves the way for real-time applications in quantum cyber security, including long-distance Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), the development of quantum networks, and the future quantum internet.
“Quantum entanglement-based QKD offers several significant advantages over the traditional prepare-and-measure method by enhancing both security and functionality. Even if devices are compromised or imperfect, the use of quantum entanglement ensures the security of key distribution. Any attempt to measure or intercept the entangled photons disturbs the quantum state, allowing authorised users to detect the presence of an eavesdropper", said the Defence Ministry.
Quantum communication offers unbreakable encryption that can protect sensitive data strategic sectors such as defence, finance, and telecommunications, as well as in protecting national security-related communications.
“Free-space QKD eliminates the need to lay optical fibres, which can be both disruptive and expensive, especially in challenging terrains and dense urban environments,” the Ministry said.
The demonstration led by Prof. Bhaskar Kanseri’s research group, was a part of the DRDO-funded project titled ‘Design and Development of Photonic Technologies for Free Space QKD’ under the Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management (DFTM).
The event saw the presence of several dignitaries including the DRDO Director General (MED, COS & CS), Director SAG, Director DFTM, IIT Delhi’s Dean of Research and Development, and scientists from DRDO laboratories.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised DRDO and IIT Delhi for this groundbreaking accomplishment, saying, "India has entered into a new quantum era of secure communication which will be a game changer in future warfare."
Previously, in 2022, DRDO scientists together with Prof. Bhaskar’s team demonstrated India’s first intercity quantum communication link between Vindhyachal and Prayagraj, utilizing commercial-grade underground dark optical fiber. Then, in 2024, the same team successfully distributed quantum keys through entanglement over a 100-kilometer spool of telecom-grade optical fiber in another project supported by DRDO.
These technologies are being developed under the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs), with 15 such centres set up at leading academic institutions, including IITs, IISc, and various universities.
As India develops its own quantum technologies, it paves way for development in quantum cyber security, quantum networks & future quantum internet.
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