{"id":46029,"date":"2025-06-23T20:49:38","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T15:19:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=46029"},"modified":"2025-06-24T17:08:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T11:38:41","slug":"quantum-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/23-06-2025\/quantum-communication","title":{"rendered":"Quantum Communication"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>India <\/strong>has successfully demonstrated <strong>quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement <\/strong>over free space by the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE), IIT Delhi.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This marks a <strong>significant milestone in India&#8217;s quantum technology roadmap.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Technology Used:<\/strong> Quantum Entanglement-based Free-Space Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secure Key Rate:<\/strong> ~240 bits per second.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER): <\/strong>&lt; 7%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Distance:<\/strong> Over 1 km free-space optical link on IIT Delhi campus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Quantum Communication<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Quantum communication<\/strong> uses quantum physics, especially quantum entanglement, to create ultra-secure channels for sending information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quantum Entanglement:<\/strong> When two photons are entangled, measuring one instantly determines the state of the other \u2014 even if they are far apart.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Main purpose: <\/strong>To make communication leak-proof. Any eavesdropping attempt will disturb the entangled state, revealing the intrusion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>QKD <\/strong>allows secure exchange of encryption keys <strong>using quantum mechanics.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Uses photons (light particles)<\/strong> as information carriers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quantum entanglement-based QKD is <strong>highly secure<\/strong> \u2014 any hacking attempt disturbs the system and gets detected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Entanglement-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Advantages:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Security even with imperfect or compromised devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Intrusion detection through quantum state disturbance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More robust than traditional prepare-and-measure QKD methods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Applications:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Defence communications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Secure banking and telecom networks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strategic sector data protection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost-effective:<\/strong> Free-space QKD avoids costly fiber-laying in challenging geographies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Free-Space Communication?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Free-space or satellite-based QKD<strong> can connect long distances without laying cables.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cables (optical fiber) <\/strong>become <strong>costly and impractical over long distances.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Global Comparison<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>China is <\/strong>leading with a 4,600 km quantum network since 2021.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>China had demonstrated satellite-based quantum communication nearly one decade ago, as they had a head start in quantum communication <strong>activities since the early 2000s.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Since 2005<\/strong>, there have been ground demonstrations in <strong>Europe, Canada, and the United States of free-space (without cables) <\/strong>QKD <strong>greater than 100 km, <\/strong>suggesting that India still has much to cover regarding QKD-entanglement communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It requires not only adequate funds but also a<strong> large, dedicated team of multidisciplinary skilled experts<\/strong> for developing several types of enabling technologies.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Atmospheric disturbances<\/strong> increase error in free-space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India started late (2020s)<\/strong> and must catch up with global leaders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Using fibre optic cables<\/strong> provides a stable <strong>channel for quantum communication<\/strong> which free-space channels do not.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Future Plans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/national-quantum-mission-nqm\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/national-quantum-mission-nqm\/\">National Quantum Mission (NQM)<\/a><\/strong> India is focusing on <strong>satellite-based long-distance QKD.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The support includes<\/strong> quantum start-ups, indigenous equipment, and lab-to-market technologies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India aims to achieve <strong>satellite-based QKD and a quantum network across India in 5\u201310 years.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/with-money-and-manpower-india-could-achieve-quantum-satellite-communication-by-2030-says-expert\/article69724357.ece#:~:text=India%20could%20be%20technologically%20capable,farthest%20such%20transmission%20in%20India%2C\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">India has successfully demonstrated quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement over free space by the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE), IIT Delhi.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Quantum Communication<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Quantum communication uses quantum physics, especially quantum entanglement, to create ultra-secure channels for sending information.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Quantum Entanglement: When two photons are entangled, measuring one instantly determines the state of the other \u2014 even if they are far apart.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Main purpose: To make communication leak-proof. Any eavesdropping attempt will disturb the entangled state, revealing the intrusion.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/23-06-2025\/quantum-communication\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46029"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46124,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46029\/revisions\/46124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}