News Excerpt:
An assessment by Itihaasa, a non-profit organization studying technology evolution in the country, highlights the substantial gap between India’s current capabilities in Quantum Technology and those of global leaders like the United States and China.
Gap in Resource Allocation
- India is one of 17 countries with a dedicated government program for quantum technology research and one of 12 that have committed separate investments for this purpose.
- Despite this, India lags significantly behind other nations in terms of both committed funding and existing capabilities.
- India’s Rs 6,000 crore (approximately USD 0.75 billion) investment over five years pales in comparison to China’s estimated USD 15 billion.
- Other countries, such as the United Kingdom (USD 4.3 billion), the United States (USD 3.75 billion), Germany (USD 3.3 billion), and South Korea (USD 2.35 billion), have also committed substantially higher funds.
Gap in Research outcome:
- In terms of patents and publications in top journals, India trails far behind the United States and China.
- The assessment emphasizes the need for India to ramp up both research and development (R&D) and translational aspects to catch up with global leaders.
Quantum Technologies and its application:
- Quantum technologies leverage the unique properties of subatomic particles to develop processes and devices with capabilities far beyond classical systems.
- Quantum computing, communications, cryptography, cybersecurity, and healthcare are among the fields expected to benefit the most from these advancements.
- However, many of these technologies are still in development, as scientists strive to harness the quantum behavior of subatomic particles for practical applications.
Research and Education
- The assessment report identifies 110-145 Indian researchers at major laboratories and institutions working on quantum technologies, along with 75-100 post-docs, 300-400 PhD students, and 50-100 MTech students.
- India produces the highest number of graduates in related fields, such as biochemistry, chemistry, physics, electronics, chemical engineering, mathematics, and statistics, with over 82,000 students graduating annually.
- Only the European Union, as a whole, has more students in these areas.
Future Directions
- To capitalize on its growing talent pool, the assessment suggests the government explore the possibility of creating a dedicated science and technology cadre in each of the four areas identified by the National Quantum Mission.
- This would be similar to the specialized cadres in India’s space and nuclear sectors, ensuring focused training and development of a relevant workforce in quantum technologies.
- India’s commitment to advancing quantum capabilities is a crucial step towards becoming a global leader in this transformative field. However, sustained effort, increased investment, and strategic planning are essential to bridge the existing gap and unlock the full potential of quantum technologies
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National Quantum Mission (NQM)
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