In a forward-looking initiative to advance India’s capabilities in quantum-secure communication, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier telecom R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Synergy Quantum India Private Limited, a cutting-edge deep-tech company engaged in the field of quantum technologies.
The MoU aims to formalize cooperation between C-DOT and Synergy Quantum in the development of Drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems, leveraging the decoy-based BB84 protocol with polarization encoding, at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or above. This partnership aligns with the national vision of strengthening indigenous research and innovation under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative and enhancing India’s capabilities in emerging and secure telecom technologies.
As part of the collaboration, C-DOT and Synergy Quantum will jointly pursue the development of quantum communications technologies optimized for drone-based deployment. The partnership will also include co-creation of research proposals for national and international grant applications and dissemination of outcomes through scholarly publications, white papers, and other platforms. Key representatives from both organizations may also engage in delivering expert talks, short courses, and organizing symposia, conferences, and meetings on timely research themes.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO, C-DOT, remarked, “The convergence of public R&D and private innovation is essential to shaping a secure and self-reliant digital future for India. Quantum technologies hold immense promise for next-generation secure communications, and this collaboration with Synergy Quantum reflects our shared vision of accelerating indigenous capabilities in this critical domain. By combining our research depth with industry agility, we aim to jointly develop solutions that not only address national priorities but also contribute to India’s emergence as a global player in quantum innovation.”
Mr. Jay Oberoi, Founder & CEO of Synergy Quantum India, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to work with C-DOT, noting that “this partnership has the potential to position India as a global leader in drone-based quantum secure communications.”
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO C-DOT, Dr. Pankaj Dalela and Ms. Shikha Srivastava, Directors of C-DOT along with Mr. Jai Oberoi (CEO), Mr. Ajay Singh (COO), Dr. Vipin Rathi, and AM G S Bedi from Synergy Quantum and other senior officials of C-DOT. This partnership is expected to lay the foundation for next-generation quantum-safe telecom infrastructure, revolutionizing secure data transmission for applications in defence, emergency response, critical infrastructure, and secure government communication.
