India must scale quantum funding through industry: IISc's Arindam Ghosh
'Government can only fund the early stage; the private sector must carry it forward,' he said, pointing to the fact that global government investments in quantum research range from $1 billion to $3.5 billion, with the US and China alone committing over $2 billion each.
'When industry participation is added, those numbers grow many times over. India must move in that direction,' he added.
In an exclusive conversation with UNI ahead of Quantum India summit in Bengaluru, Prof Ghosh made a strong pitch for Indian industry to step up. 'Quantum must be seen as good business,' he asserted.
'In the US and Europe, quantum tech has advanced largely due to investments from companies like Google, Microsoft, and IBM. India must now sensitise its own industrial players. Without that, the ecosystem cannot sustain or scale.'
He cautioned against replicating global research, arguing that India needs a self-reliant and indigenously built quantum ecosystem. 'Our infrastructure must be rooted in local capabilities, not dependent on external coordination. Research should not be repeated.'
Prof. Ghosh praised the Karnataka government's leadership in this space, especially the establishment of the Karnataka Quantum Research Park. 'This is among the first such initiatives in India focused on education and human resource development in quantum. No technology can grow without a pipeline of skilled talent. This park is laying that foundation.'
He underscored the transformative potential of quantum technologies across healthcare, diagnostics, computing, and strategic areas. 'We are working with the smallest particles to achieve the biggest transformations. We must build our own processors and systems.'
While acknowledging that India is still in the early stages of quantum adoption—especially in processor development—he said the absence of a globally dominant platform offers India a unique chance. 'The US and others are ahead with superconducting and photonic systems, but the field is still open. That gives us a window to catch up.'
With the backing of the National Quantum Mission and increasing state-level involvement, Prof. Ghosh said he is optimistic about India's prospects. 'We are building the capabilities to not just match but help shape the future of global quantum technology.'
The week-long Bengaluru summit brings together leading figures from quantum science, policy, and enterprise, aiming to spark innovation and collaboration in positioning India as a global quantum leader.
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