Indian deep-tech company QNu Labs has achieved a major achievement in the defense sector by successfully demonstrating a secure quantum communication network over a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers. The company is now preparing to develop even greater distance operational networks for the Indian Armed Forces.
The feat has been achieved under India’s National Quantum Mission (NQM), which aims to establish a 2,000 km long quantum network in the next eight years. QNu Labs has already achieved half of this target ahead of schedule, reflecting the rapid progress being made in the country’s quantum technology.
The company has developed an indigenous Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system, which is based on the principles of quantum mechanics rather than traditional mathematical encryption. The specialty of this technology is that if someone tries to intercept the communication, its signals are immediately captured, making it almost impossible to hack the data.
QNu Labs’ flagship products include ‘Armos’ (QKD system) and ‘Tropos’ (Quantum Random Number Generator), which ensure a high level of security during data transmission. This technology is considered especially important for military use.
Company CEO Sunil Gupta said that the use of this network has started for the Indian Army and Navy and even bigger networks will be deployed in the future. He said that the company is now moving beyond just testing and implementing this technology in actual operations (live environment).
The network is based on fiber optic infrastructure with quantum-secure nodes connected to it, enabling secure communications between different cities. This is different from traditional encryption, which can be broken only by quantum computers in the future, whereas in quantum communication the keys of encryption remain completely safe. According to experts, this technology is very important in dealing with cyber threats like “harvest now, decrypt later”, where data can be stolen now and decrypted in future.
Apart from the defense sector, the demand for quantum-secure networks is also increasing in the banking and corporate sectors. QNu Labs has also established its own subsidiary in Massachusetts while expanding internationally. This achievement puts India among the few countries capable of developing long distance quantum networks. Also, it is considered an important step towards strengthening the Self-reliant India initiative and achieving strategic self-reliance in the field of secure communications.
Also read:
German airline Lufthansa’s big decision, 20,000 flights canceled till October
Navprakriti to set up ₹100 crore critical minerals plant in Odisha
Sensation due to suspected suicide at Kavita Das’s boyfriend Mahfooz Khan’s house, family members accused of murder
Extreme heat wreaks havoc, 7 deaths in Maharashtra: Mercury crosses 45°C in many states
Comments are closed.