New Delhi: A Bengaluru-based quantum technology startup, QNu Labs Pvt. Ltd., has achieved a major milestone by demonstrating India’s first large-scale Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network spanning over 500 kilometres. The achievement, supported under the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) National Quantum Mission (NQM), marks a crucial step in developing a secure quantum communication infrastructure in the country.

The announcement was made during the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025) in the presence of Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof Ajay K. Sood, Chairman of the Mission Governing Board of NQM Dr Ajai Chowdhry, and Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Prof Abhay Karandikar.

Deployed over existing optical fibre infrastructure, the network represents a major stride towards realising India’s ambition to build a secure quantum communication backbone. The project was supported by the I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation, a Technology Innovation Hub under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS) hosted at IISER Pune.

The Indian Army’s Southern Command played a key role in the demonstration by enabling the use of its optical fibre network in the Rajasthan sector. A team from the Corps of Signals engineered the test-bed network and provided selective access for the QKD trials. Multiple nodes were established along the route, including two trusted nodes that enabled end-to-end quantum key exchange over more than 500 kilometres.

This initiative aligns with the vision of the Prime Minister, who aims to position India at the forefront of emerging technologies and secure digital infrastructure. It also reinforces India’s growing role in the second quantum revolution, creating new pathways for secure communication and advanced cybersecurity.

The event also featured the launch of the new design of the Quantum Suraksha Kavach rack, which houses the QKD system. In addition, QNu Labs presented its Quantum Random Number Generator System in Package (QSIP) to the Prime Minister. The technology delivers quantum-certified randomness, essential for cryptographic algorithms, offering the strongest protection against present and future cyber threats.

The successful demonstration highlights the growing synergy between technology, research, industry, and defence under the STRIDE (Synergy of Technology, Research, Industry, and Defence Ecosystem) framework, showcasing how collaborative innovation can accelerate India’s progress in frontier technologies.

BI Bureau