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New Delhi : K Rajaraman, Secretary (T) and Chairman – Digital Communications Commission, Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, visited Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT ), Delhi Campus, on October 9, 2021.
C-DOT is the the premier Telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications. He interacted with senior officials of C-DOT and reviewed the R&D projects being developed by CDOT. Rajaraman was given a detailed presentation about the telecom R & D activities undertaken by C-DOT by Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, Executive Director, C-DOT. Subsequently, he visited various C-DOT labs including labs of 4G/5G, GPON, Encryptors, Routers, WiFi, Cyber Security etc. He encouraged the researchers working in various R&D projects and later addressed C-DOT officers. Officers from CDOT Bangalore campus joined the address through video conferencing tool developed in-house by C-DOT.
Rajaraman asked C-DOT engineers to work towards realising the goal of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” in the field of telecom. He complimented C-DOT for its critical role in developing indigenous 4G technology and ongoing 5G development project. (4G technology from CDOT is already under Proof of Concept (POC) Trial in BSNL network at Chandigarh and Ambala). He stressed on CDOT to keep track of emerging technologies, align with the technology life cycle, and asked CDOT to start working on 6G and other futuristic technologies, to catch up with the market in time. He also advised C-DOT to focus on commercialisation of technology and consider setting up incubators in C-DOT for faster technology commercialization.
Rajaraman also inaugurated the Quantum Communication Lab at C-DOT, Delhi, and unveiled the indigenously developed Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) solution by C-DOT which can support a distance of more than 100 km on standard optical fiber. Development of indigenous QKD solution is essential to address the threat that rapid advancement in Quantum Computing poses to the security of the data being transported by various critical sectors through the current communication networks.
With the development of QKD solution and the existing suite of wide range of products in Optical Access, Core, Switching & Routing, Wireless, Post Quantum Cryptography Encryptors (PQCE) etc, C-DOT has become the first organisation in India to offer complete portfolio of indigenous Quantum Secure telecom products and solutions to comprehensively address the requirements of Telecom Service Providers as well as Strategic and Defense sector in India.
Quantum Technologies and QKD : Quantum Technologies are one of the most researched area at present and are attracting huge investments by Governments all across the globe as well as by private players ranging from multinational giants to start ups. Quantum Technologies can broadly be divided into four verticals viz. Quantum Computing, Quantum Communications, Quantum Sensors, and Quantum Materials. To comprehensively address all these verticals and leapfrog India in this crucial and niche area, India has launched National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA). This was announced by Union Finance Minister in her budget speech delivered in February 2020.
This initiative, with a budget of more than USD 1 Billion spanning over eight years, will be led by Department of Science and Technology (DST) and will have active participation from various other ministries e.g. Department of Telecommunications, Department of Space, Department of Atomic Energy etc.
Quantum Technologies are based on phenomena exhibited by microscopic particles (like photons, electrons, atoms etc.) which are quite distinct from the way normal macroscopic objects behave. Behavior of these microscopic particles can’t be described by Classical (or Conventional) Physics based on Newtonian Mechanics, and consequently Quantum Mechanics came into picture, around 100 years back, to formulate theory to describe such behavior. One of the most quoted such phenomena is the “Photoelectric effect” for which Einstein was awarded the Noble Prize in Physics in 1921. Quantum Mechanics is probabilistic in contrast to Classical Mechanics which is deterministic.
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is leading the effort in the Quantum Communications vertical of NM-QTA. C-DOT has developed Product in one of the most promising applications of Quantum Communications viz. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and is continuing to pursue research in this area. Development of QKD solution will address the threat that rapid advancement in Quantum Computing poses to the security of the data being transported by the current communication infrastructure.