Key Highlights
- Unveiled on 14 April 2025, coinciding with World Quantum Day and the UN‑designated International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
- Marks India’s first outward‑facing policy document dedicated to quantum science, technology and innovation.
- Targets accelerated discovery, sector‑wide adoption, and strategic autonomy through quantum safety.
- Calls for bilateral and multilateral partnerships, as well as active participation in global quantum standard‑setting.
Detailed Insights
The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, led by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, issued the inaugural International Technology Engagement Strategy for Quantum (ITES‑Q) as a cornerstone of the National Quantum Mission (NQM). The strategy delineates a comprehensive roadmap that aligns India’s domestic quantum agenda with international collaboration, investment inflows, and standard‑setting activities.
ITES‑Q furnishes a landscape analysis for government agencies, academic institutions, and industry players, cataloguing worldwide and national trends in quantum‑related capital deployment, talent pipelines, research output, intellectual‑property generation, and the hardware‑supply ecosystem. It underscores the urgency of developing indigenous quantum hardware, curbing import dependence, de‑risking startup financing, and cultivating viable markets for quantum products.
Within the NQM framework—implemented by the Department of Science and Technology—the strategy adopts a hub‑and‑spoke model encompassing 152 researchers across 43 institutes in 17 states and two union territories. This structure is intended to shepherd innovations from laboratory research through to commercial deployment.
By articulating clear objectives and actionable pathways, ITES‑Q equips Indian diplomatic missions abroad to champion the nation’s quantum leadership, forge strategic alliances, and inform policy formulation that benefits both public and private sectors.
Key Concepts
- International Technology Engagement Strategy for Quantum (ITES‑Q): A policy blueprint that outlines India’s approach to global quantum collaboration, investment attraction, and standard‑setting.
- National Quantum Mission (NQM): A government‑driven programme that oversees the entire quantum technology lifecycle, from fundamental research to market commercialization.
- Quantum Safety: Measures aimed at ensuring the security and resilience of quantum‑based systems, thereby supporting strategic autonomy.
- Quantum Standardisation: The process of developing and adopting internationally recognised norms for quantum hardware, software, and protocols.
- Hub‑and‑Spoke Model: An organisational architecture wherein a central hub coordinates research activities across multiple satellite institutes and regions.