Quantum communications technologies were exhibited in New Delhi by the DRDO Industry Academia–Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE), IIT Delhi. Their joint project created entanglement-based quantum key distribution techniques for safe and reliable communication, showcasing both entanglement distribution and quantum key distribution (QKD) across a 50 km fiber link in a lab setting. On the campus of IIT Delhi, a different field test has shown QKD and entanglement distribution across 8 kilometers of optical fiber.
Another quantum research project used the BBM-92 protocol, a crucial QKD technique, to show the distribution of free-space entanglement between two tables that were 20 meters apart in the lab and 80 meters apart in the open. Short-range quantum communication in a free-space configuration was shown in this experiment.
Hybrid entanglement has been shown in a free-space setting in a novel experiment, attaining a Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) of about 6% over a 10-meter laboratory distance. Furthermore, with encouraging results, QKD systems that enable numerous independent channels powered by a single source are also being investigated. These pave the way for multi-protocol quantum communication systems that are more adaptable.
An all-fiber heralded photon source with a second-order correlation function (g² ~ 0.01) at speeds up to hundreds of kHz is created in order to accomplish the aforementioned breakthrough. Single-photon production, a crucial prerequisite for safe quantum communication, depends on this invention. Additionally, a highly visible all-fiber entangled photon source has been created. Strong quantum entanglement is demonstrated by this source’s Bell test parameter, which is greater than 2.6 and crucial for protocols such as BBM-92.
A free-space heralded single photon source with a heralding rate of more than 4 million counts/sec has been demonstrated for use in free space quantum communication research. Robust free-space quantum communication is made possible by this advancement.
In February 2022, DRDO labs and IIT (D) demonstrated India’s first Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) between the 100-kilometer-distant cities of Prayagraj and Vindhyachal. Since then, DRDO and IIT (D) have taken a number of additional efforts.
Additionally, efforts are underway to indigenize a number of components, such as quantum sources and detectors. These consist of regularly poled non-linear crystals, SNSPD, and single photon sources on LNOI. These projects, which are financed by the Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management under its deep tech initiatives aimed at promoting cutting-edge discoveries in defense technology, were started at IIT Delhi in partnership with DRDO labs like DYSL-QT and SSPL.
With innovations in fiber and open space areas, DRDO has established a significant national footprint in QKD through its projects at the DIA-CoE, IITD. Because quantum communication offers reliable and impenetrable channels of communication, it has enormous potential to improve security in key industries like defense and banking.
A joint project between DRDO and IIT Delhi, the DRDO Industry Academia–Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) was founded at IIT Delhi. The CoE is working on a number of quantum communication technologies, including non-linear crystals, quantum sources, quantum detectors, and fiber and free-space (polarization/hybrid photon) based quantum key distribution systems.
