In a major move to enhance India’s quantum-secure communication abilities, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the top telecom research and development division of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Synergy Quantum India Private Limited, a prominent deep-tech company focused on quantum technologies.

The partnership seeks to create drone-supported Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems utilizing the decoy-based BB84 method with polarization encoding, aiming for a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 or above. This effort backs India's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" vision, promoting homegrown innovation in secure telecom technologies. 

According to the MoU, C-DOT and Synergy Quantum will collaborate on quantum communication technologies designed for applications involving drones. The collaboration will also include jointly developing research proposals for national and international funding, publishing academic articles, and hosting symposia, conferences, and expert discussions to foster progress in the field.

Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating, “The convergence of public R&D and private innovation is essential to shaping a secure and self-reliant digital future for India. By combining our research depth with industry agility, we aim to develop solutions that address national priorities and position India as a global leader in quantum innovation.”

Jay Oberoi, Founder and CEO of Synergy Quantum India, echoed this sentiment, saying, “This partnership has the potential to position India as a global leader in drone-based quantum-secure communications.”