Lok Sabha Question No. 3292 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-09
Subject: Quantum Technologies and Artificial Intelligence
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Shrirang Appa Barne, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3292

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/08/2023

## QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

3292.    SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  India  and  United  States  has  jointly  launched  a  call  for collaborative  proposals  on  ''Critical  and  Emerging  Technology:  Quantum Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Transforming Lives' and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  Indo-US  Science  and  Technology  Forum  have  designed  a and
- programme which aims to foster technology innovation entrepreneurship in commercially viable and socially relevant areas;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  salient  features  of  the programme;
- (d) whether the Government has also approved a National Quantum Mission
- and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of the aims and objectives of the said mission?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

राÏयमंğी (èवतंğ Ĥभार)

ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ (डॉ. िजतɅġ ͧसंह)

(a) to (c):      The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India  and  the  Embassy  of  United  States,  New  Delhi,  through  U.S.-India Science and Technology Endowment fund (USISTEF) - administered by the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) - has launched a call for

collaborative  proposals  on  'Critical  and  Emerging  Technology:  Quantum Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Transforming Lives'. Through the program, the USISTEF selects and supports promising joint U.S.-India are technology innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives that commercially viable and socially relevant.

The  joint  proposals  can  originate  from  U.S.  and  Indian  entities including startups, government, academic, or commercial endeavors, and any combination thereof provided they focus on applied R&D, incorporate a  business  plan  and  proof  of  commercial  concept,  and  have  significant sustainable  commercial  potential.  In  quantum  technologies,  proposals could be on a specific area or a combination of different sub-categories that  fall  broadly  under  quantum  technologies  like  quantum  computing, quantum  communication,  quantum  sensing  and  metrology,  quantum cryptography, quantum algorithms, quantum imaging and quantum simulation  involving  hardware,  software  and  algorithms  or  a  system  for specific applications. In Artificial Intelligence (AI) area, the call is open for trustworthy and explainable AI systems and technology solutions that are fair, transparent, safe, and have the potential to transform every walk of life.

- (d):        Yes, Sir. The Union Cabinet approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) at an outlay of Rs. 6003.65 crore for a period of eight years.
- (e):        The main aims of the mission are to seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create vibrant and innovative ecosystem in  Quantum  Technology  (QT);  and  also  to  accelerate  QT  led  economic growth and ecosystem to transform India among the leading nations in the development of QT. Key objectives of the mission include: Development of (i)  intermediate  scale  quantum  computers  in  various  platforms  like superconducting  and  photonic  technology;  (ii)  satellite  based  secure quantum communications between two ground stations over a range of 2000 kilometres; (iii) inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km; (iv) multi-node  Quantum  network  with  quantum  memories,  entanglement swapping  and  synchronised  quantum  repeaters;  and  (v)  extremely  high sensitivity magnetometers. Design and synthesis of quantum materials for fabrication of quantum devices for development of qubits, single/entangled photon sources/detectors etc. are also included in the objectives.

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