DRDO and IIT Delhi demonstrate entanglement-based quantum secure communication over 1 km
On 16 June 2025 in New Delhi, DRDO and IIT Delhi announced a demonstration of free-space quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement over more than one km on the IIT Delhi campus.
Summary
The DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Delhi demonstrated free-space quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement over a distance of more than one km, through a free-space optical link on the IIT Delhi campus, DRDO announced on 16 June 2025. The experiment achieved a secure key rate of nearly 240 bits per second with a quantum bit error rate below 7%. The demonstration was given by Prof Bhaskar Kanseri's research group under a project sanctioned by DRDO's Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management. It paves the way for long-distance quantum key distribution, quantum networks and a future quantum internet.
Key facts
- Distance
- More than 1 km, free-space optical link, IIT Delhi campus
- Secure key rate
- Nearly 240 bits per second
- Error rate
- Quantum bit error rate below 7%
- Team
- Prof Bhaskar Kanseri's group, DIA-CoE IIT Delhi
- Sanctioned by
- DRDO's Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Over what distance did DRDO and IIT Delhi demonstrate entanglement-based free-space quantum secure communication, as announced on 16 June 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — More than one km
PIB (MoD): Free-space quantum secure communication using quantum entanglement over a distance of more than one km was achieved.
Where was the free-space optical link for the DRDO–IIT Delhi quantum entanglement demonstration established?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — IIT Delhi campus
PIB (MoD): The communication was achieved via a free-space optical link established on the IIT Delhi campus.