Quantum Technologies in the Defence Sector: Assessing Strategic Implications for India’s Future Warfare

Abstract

The global security architecture and the Indian defence system have been revolutionised due to the advancement of technology, and because of this, the architecture is poised at the juncture of the second Quantum revolution, which is not only a drastic progress but also signifies how far we have come since the time of independence. While discussing the second Quantum revolution we cannot negate the fact that the first quantum revolution was quite significant in nature as it ruled throughout the 20th century and also managed to harness the statistical properties and elements of the quantum mechanics to develop foundational technologies such as the transistor, the laser, and the atomic clock, the contemporary era is defined by the transition to Quantum Revolution 2.0. This New Era is considered as one of the most progressive eras as it is distinguished by the capacity to control individual quantum systems, such as atoms, ions, photons, and electrons, in order to take use of the "strange" principles of quantum physics, such as tunneling, entanglement, and superposition, at the boundaries of known physical reality. This paper shall focus upon the analytical research of quantum technology and how it has shaped the defence sector globally. This paper also highlights the multiple utility of this technology and its incorporation in India. In the end it proposes a study of its good and bad sides by highlighting the recent setbacks posed by them.

Keywords: security, defence, quantum, atomic, technology