India's Quantum Mission

23.05.2023

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Mains Exam: General Studies 3

( Science and Technology )

Why in News:

  • India's National Quantum Mission could prove to be important in many areas ranging from defence, energy and environment to healthcare and civilian applications.

National Quantum Mission :

  • The mission was first announced by the central government in the 2020 budget with a commitment of about Rs 8,000 crore.
  • The Union Government has approved the much-awaited National Quantum Mission on 19 April 2023 to nurture and enhance scientific and industrial research and development in quantum technology.
  • Through this mission, India will join the league of six countries that are developing R&D capabilities in quantum computing - the United States, China, Finland, Austria, France and Canada.
  • After this approval, India has become the seventh country to declare a program for the development of quantum technology in the form of a mission.
  • The mission will be implemented by the Department of Science and Technology in partnership with other departments.
  • The mission envisages developing an intermediate level quantum computer with a capacity of 50-1000 physical qubits in eight years in various platforms such as superconducting and photonic techniques.

Mission Objectives:

  • The objective of the mission is to nurture and expand scientific and industrial R&D in quantum technology.
  • To develop an intermediate-scale quantum computer with 50–1,000 physical qubits in eight years.
  • Setting up of four thematic hubs in top academic and R&D institutions
  • To create a dynamic and innovative ecosystem in the field of quantum technology.
  • To make the country progressive by promoting innovation in various fields by developing quantum technology.
  • Development of quantum technology to create new dimensions in computing, communication, cyber security sector.

Significance of National Quantum Mission:

  • The National Quantum Mission will have a positive impact on a number of industries, including communications, health, finance, energy, drug design and space applications.
  • The mission will help develop high-sensitivity magnetometers in nuclear systems and atomic clocks for accurate timing, communication and navigation.
  • The mission will accelerate quantum technology-led economic growth and nurture the ecosystem in the country.
  • The mission is in line with national priorities like Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, Stand-up India, Start-up India, Atmanirbhar Bharat and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • The mission seeks to promote scientific and industrial research and development in quantum technology.
  • By promoting advanced research in quantum science and technology, technology development and higher education science and engineering disciplines, India can be brought at par with other advanced countries and many direct and indirect benefits can be achieved.
  • The mission will facilitate the development and expansion of quantum technology in India.
  • The mission could provide an impetus to Indian firms doing R&D in quantum computing, such as TCS, IBM and Tech Mahindra, among others.

About Quantum Technology:

  • Quantum technology is based on quantum theory, which explains the nature of energy and matter at the atomic and sub-atomic level. With the help of this technology, data and information can be processed in minimum time. With the help of quantum computers, computing tasks can be done in minimum time. Quantum computers store information using quantum two level systems (quantum bits or cubits). These can be prepared in super special condition unlike classical bits. This important capability makes quantum computers extremely powerful compared to conventional computers.
  • Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, and are faster than regular and supercomputers, which use conventional bits. For example, according to reports, Google's quantum processor, Sycamore, completed a task in 200 seconds in 2019, which Google claimed, in a Nature paper, would take a state-of-the-art supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.

Challenges before this technology:

  • Higher cost
  • The cost of manufacturing the qubits in a quantum computer and dealing with its errors is enormous.
  • Creating a chip to process qubits is also a major hurdle for a quantum computer.
  • Dissociation
  • To build a quantum computer, it is necessary to keep an object in the superposition state long enough to increase the number of processes required.
  • This is not always possible as it continually loses this state of superposition, which is called decoherence.
  • Decoherence can arise in quantum devices due to effects such as vibrations, temperature fluctuations, electromagnetic waves, and changes in the external environment. This effect of decoherence destroys the special properties of a quantum computer.

Applications of this Technology:

  • Customization, Planning and Logistics
  • Forecast
  • financial modeling
  • Drug Design and Discovery
  • In the field of genomics
  • In the field of cyber security and cryptography
  • In the field of molecular modeling
  • Chemistry modeling, in the field of computational chemistry
  • For Material Design and Modeling
  • For Aerospace Physics
  • Quantum simulation - simulation of physical systems at the quantum mechanical level
  • To generate random numbers

Its significance for India

  • For India, investment in quantum materials and equipment can generate a cadre of highly skilled workforce.
  • As India is set to become the world's third largest economy by 2027, a strong network content infrastructure will be crucial in the country.
  • It will not only cater to quantum technologies but also other major scientific megaprojects ranging from semiconductor missions to neutrino observatories and gravitational wave detection.
  • This will greatly benefit the communications, health, financial and energy sectors as well as drug design and space applications.
  • It will give a huge boost to national priorities like Digital India, Make in India, Skill India and Stand-up India, Start-up India, Atmanirbhar Bharat and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Way Forward:

  • Indian institutes have already started working on R&D on quantum computing. Last year, IIT Madras became the first institute in India to join IBM's quantum network. It will have cloud-based access to IBM's most advanced quantum computing systems and expertise.
  • Experts say that in a country like India, where the government uses the technology to solve large-scale problems, quantum computing could be a big boost, as it allows for large-scale simulations.
  • It has become imperative for both the government and the industry to be prepared to develop these emerging and disruptive technologies to improve communication, financial transactions, competitive social progress, employment, economic growth and overall quality of life.
  • This step taken by the government is very progressive but now the government needs to take comprehensive steps towards the success of this mission.

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Mains Exam Question

India's National Quantum Mission can prove to be important in many areas. Outline the importance of quantum technology for India.