NITI Aayog and IBM Launch Roadmap to Make India a Top-Three Quantum Economy by 2047
In a remarkable show of foresight, the government think tank NITI Aayog, along with IBM, has introduced an elaborate national plan to rank India as one of the top three quantum-powered economies worldwide by the year 2047.
The initiative charts out ambitious goals for the medium term (2025–2035) and long-term targets (up to 2047). India plans to nurture at least ten quantum startups each able to compete globally and having a yearly turnover of over USD 100 million by the year 2035. The country also aims to take a quantum leap and dominate more than half of the global quantum software and services market.
In order to achieve this, the quantum roadmap outlines the requirements for enhancing investments in R&D, establishing domestic hardware and software capabilities, and carrying out a large-scale talent development program in areas such as quantum computing, secure communications, advanced materials, sensing, etc.
The project highlights the deployment of the technology across various sectors; defense, energy, healthcare, logistics, finance, material science, and national security are some of the sectors expected to be impacted by quantum technologies. The intention is not merely to implement the technology; the ultimate objective is to position India as a global quantum supplier and a reliable exporter of quantum solutions by 2047.
Such a road map is indicative of a fundamental strategic change – India is gearing up to be at the forefront, rather than a follower, of quantum technology research. Consequently, this could determine the future standards for the global computing, secure communication, and high-impact technology sectors for the next several decades.