Parliament Question: National Quantum Mission

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3940 ANSWERED ON 12/08/2026 NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION

3940. SHRI TEJASVI SURYA:

SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM:

SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:

SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:

SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

SHRI AMAR SHARADRAO KALE:

SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has reviewed the implementation of the National Quantum Mission during 2025–26 for advancing indigenous quantum technologies and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government of Quantum Hubs established under the Mission, including their areas of research in quantum computing, communication, sensing, metrology and cybersecurity and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has undertaken measures to strengthen industry-academia collaboration, research infrastructure, innovation and skill development in quantum technologies and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has assessed the progress made towards development, deployment and commercialisation of indigenous quantum technologies in strategic sectors and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to establish quantum research, innovation and skill development centres in Maharashtra particularly in Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituency to promote indigenous quantum technologies and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a), (c) and (d): The Government periodically reviews the implementation of the National Quantum Mission (NQM) through its established governance mechanism, which includes monitoring by Mission Governing Board (MGB), Mission Technology Research Council (MTRC), other expert committees and on-site reviews. In addition, an Annual Quantum Conclave was organized on 10–11 April 2026 to review the progress of the Thematic Hubs, Technical Groups, startups and other Page 1 of 4Mission activities. During 2025– 26, significant progress was made under the Mission, including:

(i) Operationalization of the four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs), comprising 14 Technical Groups and 17 Project Teams, with participation from academia, research institutions and industry.

(ii) Research Infrastructure facilities including fabrication and central facilities are being established at IISc Bengaluru, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur and IIT Delhi to enable indigenous development of quantum processors, sensors, materials and devices.

(iii) Establishment of 17 dedicated Project Teams under the Quantum Algorithms Technical Group for the development of indigenous quantum algorithms and software.

(iv) Capacity building through Undergraduate Minor and M.Tech. programmes in Quantum Technologies in collaboration with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Further, 23 Quantum Teaching Laboratories are being established across the country, to strengthen education, skill development and human resource capacity.

(v) Entrepreneurship development through support for 17 quantum technology startups for development and commercialization of indigenous quantum technologies.

(vi) Research and technology development activities have commenced across the domains of quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing & metrology, and quantum materials & devices. The Mission supports the development of indigenous quantum technologies and enabling components with potential applications in strategic sectors including secure communications, cybersecurity, healthcare, finance, navigation and precision manufacturing.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed indigenous products in Quantum Technologies, for which Technology Transfer (ToT) has been extended to industry. These include Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs) and RFSoC-based Controller for Quantum Computer Processors (RCQCP). DRDO is also promoting research, innovation and industry-academia collaboration in Quantum Technologies

through the following initiatives: • Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme, which provides grant- in-aid support to MSMEs and startups for the development of indigenous defence technologies under the Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) framework.

Page 2 of 4• DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIACoEs) established at various IITs, IISc and Central Universities to promote collaborative research in Quantum Technologies. • Contract for Acquisition of Research Services (CARS), under which DRDO laboratories engage academic and research institutions to undertake research for bridging the gap between basic research and prototype development, leading to technology realization and product development.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has developed Qniverse, a unified quantum computing platform integrated with High Performance Computing (HPC) systems, providing students, researchers and startups access to quantum computing resources for designing, simulating and executing quantum algorithms across multiple quantum hardware platforms.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, follows structured project review mechanisms, including Baseline Design Review

(BDR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), Standing Peer Review Committee (SPRC) and Expert Review Committee

(ERC), for technical review and monitoring of quantum technology projects.

ISRO promotes industry-academia collaboration through partnerships with IISc, IITs, NITs, Ahmedabad University and S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SINP). It also conducts Structured Training Programmes

(STPs) and workshops on Quantum Technologies for skill development, and has established quantum-ready infrastructure, including quantum and optical laboratories, specialised subsystem laboratories, optical ground stations, and payload and satellite assembly, testing and launch facilities.

(b) Four Thematic Hubs have been established under the National Quantum Mission at leading academic institutions, covering the following domains:

Thematic Hub Host Institution Area of Research Quantum computing technologies across multiple qubit platforms, including IISc. Bengaluru (in Quantum semiconducting, photonic, association with Computing neutral atom, electron spin C-DAC), Karnataka and superconducting qubits;

quantum algorithms; and enabling technologies.

Page 3 of 4Thematic Hub Host Institution Area of Research Quantum communication and cybersecurity technologies, including trusted-node-free hybrid quantum networks, IIT Madras (in Post-Quantum Cryptography Quantum association with

(PQC), quantum repeaters, Communication C-DOT, New Delhi), terrestrial fibre-based Tamil Nadu Quantum Key Distribution

(QKD) networks, and satellite- based quantum communication.

Quantum sensing and metrology technologies, including NV centre-based Quantum sensors, magnetometers, IIT Bombay, Sensing gravimeters, quantum- Maharashtra & Metrology enhanced sensors, quantum- enhanced imaging, and precision measurement systems.

Quantum materials and devices, including quantum Quantum dots, spintronic materials, Materials & IIT Delhi, New Delhi photonic devices and Devices technologies supporting quantum systems.

(e) NQM is a pan-India initiative. Under the Mission, the Quantum Sensing & Metrology Thematic Hub has been established at IIT Bombay, Maharashtra, and a Quantum Teaching Laboratory has been established at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur to strengthen quantum research, education and skill development in Maharashtra.

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