India is accelerating the development of quantum-safe, hack-proof space technologies for its defence forces, following security concerns highlighted during Operation Sindoor.

The Department of Space, in collaboration with the National Quantum Mission (NQM), is spearheading efforts to protect critical satellite communications—such as those using the Indian Constellation (NavIC) navigation system—from the emerging threat of quantum computing.

Quantum computers, particularly those developed by China, have demonstrated the potential to break traditional encryption methods, making India’s current systems vulnerable to interception and decryption.

To counter this, India is focusing on building a quantum-secure satellite network that integrates post-quantum cryptography (PQC) VPNs. These advanced networks will leverage quantum-resistant algorithms and quantum key distribution (QKD) to ensure secure communication channels for defence and strategic assets.

QKD, based on quantum entanglement, enables the exchange of encryption keys in a way that any interception attempt is immediately detectable, thus providing a fundamentally new level of security. PQC VPNs, meanwhile, use algorithms that are resistant to quantum attacks, protecting data even if adversaries possess powerful quantum computers.

The transition to quantum-secure communications is being fast-tracked. The first quantum satellite is expected to be announced within the next two to three months, with plans to integrate long-distance QKD networks on low Earth orbit (LEO) and higher satellites by early August. Defence satellites will be equipped with PQC solutions capable of generating digital signatures for each location, eliminating the need for individual ground station authentication keys and reducing the risk of key compromise.

Indian private satellite companies are also involved in building these quantum-safe networks, while the government has accelerated the launch of 52 dedicated surveillance satellites, aiming to make all of them quantum secure by 2027. The implementation requires close cooperation with ISRO and other satellite providers to deploy the necessary hardware in space.

The urgency of this initiative is underscored by recent cyberattacks on Indian defence and government networks, allegedly orchestrated by Pakistani and Chinese actors, and by China’s rapid progress in quantum computing.

China’s Zuchongzhi-3, announced in March 2025, is a superconducting quantum computer prototype that vastly outpaces existing supercomputers in certain tasks, intensifying the threat to India’s digital infrastructure.

India’s approach combines fibre-based, free-space, and satellite-based quantum communication. While fibre and free-space quantum links have already been demonstrated domestically over distances up to 100 km, the real strategic leap is in satellite-based QKD, which can secure communications across thousands of kilometers. ISRO and DRDO have already demonstrated entanglement-based quantum-secure communication over shorter distances, marking significant progress toward a national quantum communication grid.

India’s rapid push to deploy quantum-safe space technologies is a direct response to quantum computing threats, particularly from China, and aims to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of defence communications in the quantum era. This effort is a critical component of India’s broader strategy to secure its digital and strategic assets against future cyber and quantum-enabled attacks.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)