Table of Contents
Introduction
Everyone is concentrating on the next big thing in the field of strategic assets and advancing the new era of technology due to the emergence of new global powers. While others are trying to catch up in this uncharted area of computing, the two major economic powers are vying for the title of quantum supremacy.
Billionaires from Australia, the UK, and India are funding the development of this new technology and participating in its transformation rather than just being its users. The National Quantum Mission has been granted ₹6003.65 crore by India over the course of ten years in order to develop quantum-based computers domestically.
Quantum Computing
The development of quantum technology at the start of the 20th century was based on the concepts of quantum mechanics, which are essentially concerned with characterising the properties of matter made up of atoms and subatomic particles. Though complex, quantum technology uses subatomic particles to try and simplify our lives.
This technology has enormous potential to transform a number of industries, including communications, energy, finance, transportation, defence, and pharmaceuticals. It can also enhance machine learning and data analysis and help financial institutions calculate market risks.
Three decades ago, quantum computing was only a pipe dream. Today, scientists are actually working on it and it is merging quickly.
Difference from Classic Computers
Unlike traditional computers, quantum computing has the ability to solve increasingly complex problems in the modern world. Given that complex problems involving numerous variables are still beyond the capabilities of supercomputers.
Quantum computers are far more capable of conducting research for sensing, encryption, and communication because, unlike classical computers, they operate on qubits, which can represent 0, 1, or any variable in between. This allows quantum computers to operate simultaneously on multiple variables at high speeds using superposition and entanglement.
Because quantum computers operate on unique chips rather than semiconductors, they are better able to identify patterns in complex data.
Cold quantum technology, which can store atoms at temperatures above absolute zero, or -273.15 degrees Celsius, is necessary to maintain quantum computers due to their high error rate.
Quantum and Security
Bank records, passwords, and military data are all protected by encryptions that are essentially broken or decrypted by quantum computers. Since there have already been numerous breaches involving these data, quantum-safe key delivery is required to guarantee their security.
While scientists are working hard to address some of the more ambiguous questions surrounding the potential uses and threats of quantum computing, they all agree that cybersecurity will undoubtedly suffer as a result of this technology because it will be simpler for these machines to identify patterns in data and encrypt them.
US and China
The governments of China and the US, which are investing heavily to advance technology in their respective fields and maintain their technological superiority, have accelerated the race for this technology on a global scale.
The United States is making every effort to prevent China from advancing quantum technology, which has united nations and is preventing Japan and the Netherlands from supplying China with essential semiconductor equipment.
This is in addition to the prohibitions on obtaining critical semiconductors from firms such as Nvidia, which are necessary for the advancement of artificial intelligence.
With IBM’s 433 qubit “Osprey” processor, the US currently holds the record for the fastest quantum computer in the world. By 2023, they expect to deliver the 1121 qubit processor, “Condor.” In order to stay one step ahead of its opponents, the United States has set aside $3.7 billion, and the US Navy and Air Force have established quantum research facilities in an effort to modernise and better equip their forces to respond to threats more quickly.
In contrast, China is making significant headway, reportedly receiving $15.3 billion in state-led funding, according to McKinsey estimates.
The maximum number of patents in the field of quantum technology that China is currently allowed to file is thought to be inflated, as the majority of the patents have similar technology with only minor differences. Although China unveiled “Zuchongzhi,” its fastest 176-qubit processor, in May 2023, it is still years behind the United States, which is scheduled to unveil a 1000-qubit processor in 2023.
India’s Takeaway
India has always lagged behind in the development of previous technological revolutions and took longer to adopt new technologies for either commercial or defensive purposes.
India has yet to release any cutting-edge semiconductor chips for commercial use, despite its push to produce semiconductors domestically in order to release the first Made-in-India chips by 2024.
The Shakti processor, developed at IIT Madras, was a significant advancement for Indian semiconductor technology, but it still lags far behind what China and the USA have accomplished over the years. When compared to the newest silicons from Apple, which are based on the 3nm technology, Shakti is based on the 180nm technology that was employed by Intel in 1999. It demonstrates the evolution of technology from the industry, which in India has been largely underfunded for the past few decades.
Therefore, China or the USA are still India’s primary suppliers of semiconductor design and manufacturing for almost all major technologies; without their assistance, even India’s most advanced supercomputers cannot function.
Even in the private sector, there haven’t been any noteworthy investments made in these vital technologies because their primary goal is to become low-cost Western manufacturers rather than global designers.
National Quantum Mission
With the NQM, India will, for the first time, be leading the charge in the upcoming technological revolution as opposed to merely being a passive technology adopter. The NQM for ₹6003.65 crore was approved by the Union Government in April 2023 in order to kickstart research and development efforts and support the establishment of a new quantum-based technology ecosystem in the nation.
India wants to develop 50–1000 physical qubits for photonic and superconducting technologies through NQM. It also intends to create a safe, 2000-kilometer-long quantum-based link between ground stations inside a nation such as China.
Protecting its highly encrypted defence assets from China is one of the main challenges India will be working to overcome. Thanks to quantum technology, China can easily decrypt India’s highly encrypted codes in a matter of seconds, leaving the nation vulnerable to any kind of cyberattack.
These encryptions protect our credit cards, mobile networks, nuclear assets, and other sensitive information. However, if all of these encryptions were cracked, the state might fall into anarchy and compromise national security.
Approximately 81 US companies are currently developing quantum computing technology, including Google, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and Honeywell. These companies, though operating independently, are still advancing the field of quantum sciences in the US and assisting it in staying ahead of its competitors.
India has adopted the same strategy as China, providing state funding for the mission; however, it will be challenging for the nation to equal China’s investment, as the former already possesses a strong foundation in this area. In order to attain NQM, India will require much more than just state funding; if it hopes to overtake the two titans in the coming decades, the private sector must work with and support it.
Need for Capacity Building
These days, the application of quantum computing is extremely limited, necessitating capacity building to offer a useful platform. Experts disagree, arguing that quantum technology is unquestionably the way of the future. The question is when these theoretical concepts will be put into practice to drive further advancements and advances in the field.
These days, India has also invested in this technology through its National Quantum Mission, which aims to develop quantum algorithms for useful applications that are required for the nation’s significant advancement in healthcare, energy, climate change, job creation, and other fields that will be discovered in the future. China and the USA are the leading developers of this technology.
Governments, corporations, and tech companies have all begun investing in this technology since they have an idea of how soon it will reach a global market value.
