New Delhi, June 16, 2025:
In a major technological milestone, India has entered a new quantum era of communication with the successful demonstration of quantum entanglement-based free-space quantum secure communication over a distance of more than 1 km. The landmark experiment was conducted by the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Delhi.
The experimental setup achieved a secure key rate of 240 bits per second with a quantum bit error rate of less than 7%, using a free-space optical link. This achievement paves the way for real-time applications in quantum cyber security, long-distance Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), quantum networks, and the quantum internet.
The project, titled “Design and development of photonic technologies for free-space QKD”, was executed by Prof. Bhaskar Kanseri’s research group, under the guidance of DRDO’s Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management (DFTM). Senior officials from DRDO and IIT Delhi witnessed the demonstration.
“India has entered a new quantum era of secure communication, which will be a game changer in future warfare,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, congratulating the team on this scientific breakthrough.
Unlike traditional prepare-and-measure methods, entanglement-assisted QKD enhances security even in the presence of compromised or imperfect devices. Any attempt to intercept or measure the entangled photons disturbs their quantum state—alerting the system to potential threats.
🌐 Applications:
This dual-use technology has strategic implications for sectors like defence, finance, telecommunications, and national security. Free-space QKD removes the need for expensive and intrusive optical fiber networks, especially in remote or urban areas.
India had earlier demonstrated:
- The country’s first intercity quantum communication link in 2022 between Vindhyachal and Prayagraj.
- 100 km fiber-based entanglement distribution in 2024.
These advancements were led by the same research team and backed by DRDO’s 15 Centres of Excellence across premier academic institutions like IITs and IISc.
👏 National Recognition:
- Dr Samir V Kamat, Chairman DRDO, and
- Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director IIT Delhi,
congratulated the teams for accelerating India’s leadership in quantum technologies.