Startup supported by DST under NQM demonstrates 500 km Quantum-Safe Network

Key Points

1. Startup supported under the National Quantum Mission (NQM) demonstrated a 500 km Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network.
2. The QKD network was developed by QNu Labs Pvt. Ltd., a Bangalore-based quantum technology company.
3. The demonstration took place on the sidelines of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025).
4. The Indian Army's Southern Command played a significant role in the capability demonstration by providing access to their fiber network.
5. QSIP (Quantum Random Number Generator System in Package), also by QNu Labs, was presented to the Prime Minister at ESTIC 2025.
6. The project was funded through the I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation, a Technology Innovation Hub under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS) hosted at IISER Pune.
7. The QKD network utilizes existing optical fiber infrastructure.