Context
A joint team of scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, successfully demonstrated the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link.
Key-points
- Quantum Key Distribution link will be created between Prayagraj and Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh, for a distance of around 100 km.
- Quantum key distribution is a secure communication method that implements a cryptographic protocol consisting of components of quantum mechanics.
- It enables two parties to produce a shared random secret key that is known only to them. The secret key can be used to encrypt and decrypt messages.
- The technological feat was achieved over a commercial grade optical fibre that is already available in the field.
- With this, India demonstrated indigenous technology of secure key transfer to bootstrap military grade communication security key hierarchy.
- Performance parameters have been measured and have been found to be within reported international standards of up to 10 KHz.
What is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)?
- QKD is primarily a mechanism to undertake secure communication which utilises a cryptographic protocol involving various components of quantum mechanics.
- The technology enables two communicating sides to come up with random secret keys shared by both of them and known exclusively to them, so only they can use it to encrypt and decrypt messages, thus achieving a very highly-secure communication.
- In December 2020, the technology was tested for communication between two DRDO facilities in Hyderabad—the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI)—over a distance of 12 km.
- This technology will enable security agencies to plan a suitable quantum communication network with indigenous technology backbone.”
- This technology will enable security agencies to plan a suitable quantum communication network, with a backbone of indigenous technology.
