Here is why India is still in nascent stages of adopting quantum technology

India is still in the nascent stages of quantum adoption, especially in processor development. The US and other developed countries are much ahead in terms of quantum adoption when compared to India. 

 

However, the field is still open, and that gives India the potential to move ahead on the curve and seize the opportunity to catch up. 

 

The absence of a globally dominant platform presents India with a unique opportunity to lead in quantum technology. 

 

“The US and others are ahead with superconducting and photonic systems, but the field is still open. That gives us a window to catch up,” remarked Professor Arindam Ghosh of IISC and also the Conference Chair for the Quantum India Bengaluru, a two-day Quantum technology-focused global summit in the IT capital.

 

Ghosh told THE WEEK that with the backing of the National Quantum Mission and increasing state-level involvement, he is optimistic about India’s prospects. “We are building the capabilities not just to match but help shape the future of global quantum technology.” said Ghosh. He stated that India needs to scale up funding in quantum computing, with the majority of funding coming from the industry.

 

He further added that India must scale up private sector funding and treat quantum as a serious business opportunity if it wants to compete globally in the next wave of technology. Ghosh felt that the government has the ability to fund the early-stage quantum technology segment, but the private sector must carry it forward. 

 

“Globally, government investments in quantum research range from $1 billion to $3.5 billion, with the US and China alone committing over $2 billion each. When industry participation is factored in, those numbers increase significantly. India must move in that direction,” pointed out Ghosh.

 

He further observed that quantum must be seen as a good business, and in the US and Europe, quantum technology has advanced largely due to investments from companies like Google, Microsoft, and IBM. India must now sensitise its industrial players. Without that, the ecosystem cannot sustain or scale.

 

He stated that we should not replicate global research in quantum technology and that India needs a self-reliant, indigenously built quantum ecosystem. “Our infrastructure must be rooted in local capabilities, not dependent on external coordination. Research should not be repeated,” added Ghosh.

 

He also praised the Karnataka government’s leadership in this space, especially the establishment of the Karnataka Quantum Research Park, which is among the first such initiatives in India focused on education and human resource development in quantum, as no technology can grow without a pipeline of skilled talent. This park is laying that foundation.

 

He observed that there is transformative potential of quantum technologies across healthcare, diagnostics, computing, and strategic areas, and they are working with the smallest particles to achieve the biggest transformations. We must build our own processors and systems.

 

The two-day Quantum India Bengaluru Summit (July 31st and August 1st, 2025) will feature five key themes: Quantum Computing, Finance and AI, Quantum Peripherals and Hardware, Quantum in Healthcare, Security, and Society and Art. The summit will feature a range of sessions and engagements, including talks by 2016 Physics Nobel Laureate David Gross and 2004 Physics Nobel Laureate Tommaso Calarco.

Sci/Tech