In a significant step toward advancing India’s quantum-secure communication capabilities, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier telecom R&D arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Synergy Quantum India Private Limited, a leading deep-tech firm specializing in quantum technologies.
The collaboration aims to develop drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems using the decoy-based BB84 protocol with polarization encoding, targeting a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 or higher. This initiative supports India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision, fostering indigenous innovation in secure telecom technologies.
Under the MoU, C-DOT and Synergy Quantum will jointly work on quantum communication technologies tailored for drone-based applications. The partnership will also involve co-creating research proposals for national and international grants, publishing scholarly works, and organizing symposia, conferences, and expert talks to promote advancements 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.”
The MoU was signed in a ceremony attended by Dr. Upadhyay, C-DOT Directors Dr. Pankaj Dalela and Ms. Shikha Srivastava, alongside Synergy Quantum’s Jai Oberoi (CEO), Ajay Singh (COO), Dr. Vipin Rathi, and AM G S Bedi, among other senior officials.