Indian Military issues RFP for procurement of Quantum Key Distribution expertise
The Ministry of Defence stated the Indian Military has started the draw of procurement of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) expertise developed by a Bengaluru-based mostly cybersecurity company by issuing a commercial Query for Proposal (RFP).
QKD is basically a mechanism to undertake actual verbal substitute with a cryptographic protocol inspiring barely a number of substances of quantum mechanics. The expertise permits two aspects to shut up with random secret keys shared by each and known exclusively to them, so entirely they can utilize it to encrypt and decrypt messages, thus reaching a with out a doubt extremely-actual verbal substitute. QKD helps make a non-hackable quantum channel for growing unhackable encryption keys that are worn to encrypt crucial files or say or video correct via the quit ideas.
The MoD stated Sunday that under the umbrella of its initiative ‘Innovation for Defence Excellence’ (iDEX) under Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), the QNu Labs, a Bengaluru-based mostly cybersecurity start-up has broken distance obstacles by innovating developed secured verbal substitute via QKD programs. “The conducting was curated by iDEX-DIO with the Indian Military. After the winning trials, the Indian Military has now initiated the draw of procurement of QKD programs developed by QNu Labs by issuing commercial Query For Proposal (RFP) and its deployment,” the MoD stated in a press snarl.
The ministry stated that within the case of the system developed by the QNu, the quantum verbal substitute hyperlink was established over 150 kilometres in terrestrial optical fiber infrastructure.
“When the nation is celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, India is all region to be half of the league of global leaders with indigenous and extra developed quantum verbal substitute expertise in describe to equip its Armed Forces with excessive quit defence,” the originate added.
The Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar termed the reach of indigenously QKD expertise as a milestone achievement in ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal’ and a befitting success sage of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the press snarl stated. The Defence Secretary also applauded the efforts of the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, iDEX-DIO, Military Form Bureau and the Indian Military Indicators Directorate, which bask in contributed in vogue of excessive quit quantum expertise within the nation for the first time.
QNu Labs’ co-founder and CEO Sunil Gupta was quoted within the originate as announcing, “The imaginative and prescient of inserting India on the forefront of deep technologies within the discipline of files security via the utilization of quantum expertise has one draw or the other borne fruit. Winning the Originate Predicament-2 of iDEX has equipped a launching pad to QNu Labs to invent that stellar success.”
Earlier in February, a joint team of experts from Defence Analysis and Style Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Institute of Abilities (IIT) Delhi had demonstrated QKD hyperlink for over 100 kilometres. A the same demonstration was held over a shorter distance within the first week of December 2020, when the expertise was tested for verbal substitute between two DRDO services and products in Hyderabad — Defence Analysis and Style Laboratory (DRDL) and Analysis Centre Imarat (RCI) — over a distance of 12 kilometres.
