A Department of Science & Technology (DST) task force has called for an accelerated transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) across India’s Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) sectors to safeguard sensitive data from emerging quantum-computing threats.
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About Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)
- Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) refers to a new generation of cryptographic systems designed to remain secure even against attacks from powerful quantum computers.
- Unlike traditional encryption methods, PQC algorithms are developed to resist the computational capabilities of quantum technologies that could potentially break current internet security systems.
- PQC vs. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD):
- Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): A software upgrade using advanced math equations. It works over standard internet, satellite, and cellular networks.
- Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): A hardware solution that uses the physical properties of light particles (photons) to securely share encryption keys. It requires specialized fiber-optic links and dedicated hardware infrastructure.
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Key Highlights of the Task Force Report
The report emphasizes a proactive approach to shield India’s digital architecture from future quantum threats:
- Targeted Critical Sectors: The transition must prioritize vital sectors, including government, defence, power, telecom, transport, and banking and finance.
- The “Assume-Breach” Principle: Migration planning must assume current defenses are vulnerable, specifically guarding against “harvest now, decrypt later” tactics—where adversaries steal and store encrypted data today to decrypt it once quantum machines mature.
- The Looming “Q-Day”: The report highlights warnings that “Q-Day”—the point when quantum computers can completely break widely used public-key cryptography—could arrive within the next three years.
- Tiered Migration Calendar:
- Critical Sectors: Must lay foundations by 2027, migrate high-priority systems by 2028, and achieve full PQC adoption by 2029.
- Other Enterprises: Given a relaxed timeline—foundations by 2028, high-priority migration by 2030, and full PQC adoption by 2033.
- Short to Medium-Term Roadmap: Deploy “sandbox pilots” (controlled, isolated testing environments) and “hybrid” systems that pair existing encryption with new PQC algorithms.
- Establish a National PQC Testing and Certification Programme, with the first testing laboratories becoming operational by December 2026.
- Construct a national quantum-key-distribution (QKD) backbone by 2029 for critical systems and by 2033 for all other systems.
- Composite Security Architecture: While Western nations (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia) rely heavily on software-based PQC, the task force recommends a unique composite Indian architecture that combines software-based PQC with a hardware-based QKD backbone over the long term.
- Sector-Specific Regulations: The report advises financial and energy regulators like SEBI, RBI, and CERC to instantly frame customized cybersecurity rules for their respective industries.
- Emerging Vectors of Vulnerability: The urgency is exacerbated by advanced AI models, such as Anthropic’s unreleased “Mythos” model, which can act as a powerful scanner of undiscovered software flaws in critical platforms like Linux kernel and OpenBSD, driving MeitY and CERT-In to review national readiness.
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About National Quantum Mission
- Institutional Framework: The task force was formed under the aegis of the National Quantum Mission (NQM).
- It was chaired by the Chief Executive of C-DOT and co-chaired by the Director of IIT Kanpur.
- The National Quantum Mission (NQM): Approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2023 with a budget of ₹6,003.65 crore running through 2030–31.
- It operates four thematic hubs (T-Hubs) at the IISc and various IITs focusing on quantum computing, communication, sensing, and materials.
- Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): Refers to mathematical algorithms running on ordinary, conventional computers but engineered specifically to withstand cryptographic attacks from future quantum computers.
- Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): A hardware-based secure communication method that uses the quantum properties of light (photons) to exchange encryption keys.
- Its security is uniquely guaranteed by the fundamental laws of physics, meaning any interceptor instantly alters the quantum state and alerts the system.
- Quantum vs. Conventional Computers: Conventional systems rely on binary logic (bits of 0s and 1s).
- Quantum computers use qubits (capable of superposition and entanglement), allowing them to perform complex computations in a fraction of the time, easily cracking current public-key infrastructure (like RSA).
29 May 2026
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