Mumbai, April 15: Under the leadership of Narendra Modi, India launched the ₹6,000-crore National Quantum Mission in 2023, significantly accelerating progress in the quantum technology sector. Building on this initiative, the Government of Maharashtra has also launched the “Maharashtra Quantum Technology Mission,” with a focus on creating industry-ready talent.
As part of this effort, a ₹720-crore quantum fabrication facility is being established at IIT Bombay. This facility is expected to be India’s first full-stack quantum hardware system. Additionally, Tata Consultancy Services, in collaboration with IIT Bombay, is working on the country’s first quantum diamond microchip imager.
At the global level, several companies have successfully demonstrated hack-proof quantum communication over thousands of kilometers, underlining the transformative potential of this technology. This was stated by Maharashtra’s Minister for Information Technology, Ashish Shelar.
Vision for 2030: Global Leadership
Speaking at an event held to mark World Quantum Day, Shelar highlighted the importance of quantum technology and urged stakeholders to work towards making Maharashtra a global leader in the field by 2030.
The event was attended by Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, senior government officials, and industry experts, including representatives from IBM India.
From Theory to Real-World Impact
Shelar emphasized that quantum technology is no longer limited to theory or science fiction, but is rapidly transforming sectors such as computing, communications, healthcare, finance, and national security. He described the transition from classical “bits” to quantum “qubits” as a major technological breakthrough.
Encouraging participation from industry and young innovators, he assured that the government would provide infrastructure, incentives, and policy support. He also stressed the importance of proactively adopting emerging technologies.
