India Demonstrates Quantum Entanglement-Based Secure Communication

On 16th June 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and IIT Delhi successfully demonstrated India’s first free-space quantum secure communication over a distance exceeding 1 km using quantum entanglement.

The demonstration marks an important step in developing highly secure communication systems for defence, strategic communication, banking, and critical infrastructure.

Key Achievement

Aspect	Details
Institutions Involved	DRDO and IIT Delhi.
Communication Type	Quantum key distribution (QKD) using quantum entanglement through a free-space optical link.
Demonstration Site	Conducted through a free-space optical link on the IIT Delhi campus.
Distance Covered	Successfully demonstrated over a distance exceeding 1 km.
Secure Key Rate	Achieved a secure key rate of about 240 bits/sec.
Error Rate	Recorded a quantum bit error rate of <7%.
Project Link	Conducted under a DRDO project on photonic technologies for free-space QKD.

WHAT IS QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT

Quantum entanglement is the phenomenon wherein the quantum state of each particle in a group cannot be described independently of the state of the others, even when the particles are separated by a large distance.

WHAT IS QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION (QKD)

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a highly secure communication method that uses quantum mechanics, especially the properties of photons, to share secret cryptographic keys and detect any eavesdropping attempts.

Unlike traditional encryption based on mathematical complexity, QKD relies on the fundamental laws of physics to provide “unconditional security”.

Why Quantum Entanglement Matters

Advantage	Explanation
Stronger Security	More secure than traditional “prepare-and-measure” QKD methods.
Eavesdropping Detection	Any interception can be detected because the quantum state collapses if disturbed.
Device-Independent Security	Offers security even when hardware is imperfect or potentially tampered with.

PT Facts

QKD: Used to create secure cryptographic keys, not to directly transmit the full message.
Quantum Communication: Useful for defence, banking, strategic communication, and critical infrastructure.
Free-Space QKD: Uses optical links instead of fibre-optic cables.
Quantum Entanglement: Famously described by Einstein as “spooky action at a distance”.

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