Thank you. No, I think I'm good. I seem to be the last speaker, so I'll try to keep it short. Well, thank you again for that introduction.

I work with the SKOCH Development Foundation’s India 2047 Center of Excellence. And one of the objectives of the Center is to look at how developing, emerging and strategic technologies can enable the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047. And I would like to contextualize this objective within the framework of the current geopolitical situation.

As we all will be aware, there has been a securitization of trade and technology wherein developing advanced technologies are now being seen as national assets that must be protected by the countries and the entities that are developing it. We've seen that technology transfers and diffusion are being seen to be restricted. There is a big component of trade controls creating barriers to international cooperation as well. We are seeing supply chains and intellectual property not being shared with others—either being partly shared with others who are close allies and partners, or being shared subject to strict restrictions.

At the same time, there are different spheres of technological adoption that are taking shape. There's one sphere in which the US is leading—American technology is being embraced by US allies and partners. At the same time, China is developing its own set of alternative options and marketing itself to the rest of the world and especially Global South countries. These alternatives may not be as advanced as the American options, but the gap between them has been closing for the past decade.

So this presents some very key questions related to the development of India. For example, how does India gain access to advanced technologies and enabling components? Should India join the US-led bloc or attempt to develop indigenous technologies without international collaboration? Or is there space to walk a middle path? Put another way, should India be a passive consumer, a supplier, or an active consumer and supplier at the same time?

While achieving self-reliance and securing national interests are imperative, what does self-reliance in the technology sector mean for India? Can it only be realized if all components are researched, designed, developed in the country? Moreover, what are India's national interests in this space and how can they be secured?

Yet another challenge is gaining a whole-of-society, whole-of-nation approach to developing advanced technologies. This requires close coordination and collaboration among the different stakeholders—for example the national government, the state government, industry and academia. Each of these players also needs to understand what role they can play amongst each other.

Take for example quantum technologies. Very briefly, the applications of quantum can be divided into three parts. There is quantum computing, wherein qubits are used to substantially enhance the computational power of the system. This in turn can enable faster, more precise and more efficient processes. Examples include using a quantum computer to break traditional forms of encryption and compromising data security, or simulating particles at a molecular level to discover new drugs or even manufacture better batteries—something that even today's supercomputers struggle with.

There's quantum sensing. Quantum sensors can react to the minutest of changes in magnetic, electric or gravitational fields. Thereby they're able to feel things that ordinary sensors miss. For example, we've been hearing of instances where GPS signals have been spoofed or jammed. Quantum gyros and accelerometers can provide an alternative form of navigation that can keep a ship or aircraft on course even when GPS is unavailable.

Third, there is quantum communications. Using the process of quantum key distribution (QKD), a secure link can be established wherein if someone tries to eavesdrop or intercept that communication link, the quantum state at both ends changes and the unauthorized interception is detected. For example, banks or government agencies can exchange encryption keys over fiber-optic networks using quantum—and it's immediately noticeable if the connection is being tapped or not.

So at the Center we've been working on a research paper looking at quantum. It looks at the public policy and what India has been doing, including the National Quantum Mission, state-led initiatives like the Amaravati Quantum Valley out of Andhra Pradesh and the Karnataka Quantum Mission. We are then comparing them with developments taking place in other pioneering countries—for example the US with its National Quantum Initiative Act, as well as what different departments of the federal US government are doing, what they're up to in the cybersecurity area as well as what individual states are doing. And then China is playing a very different game altogether where they're taking very literally a whole-of-society approach wherein each and every stakeholder is working toward a centrally defined top-down goal.

During our research, which is still a work in progress, we've been able to identify some very key sector-specific use cases. These sectors are defense and security, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, among the others that you can see. Very quickly, I'll just give a few very important examples.

So in the financial services sector, quantum communication standards can be used to enhance customer logins and transaction authorizations. Quantum principles can create unhackable multi-factor authentication protocols.

Quantum sensors can be used in the healthcare sector—developing nanoscale sensors capable of detecting biomarkers in blood or breath samples for early cancer detection and monitoring of diseases.

In the agriculture sector, developing hypersensitive sensors for real-time in-field measurement of soil nutrients, moisture levels, contaminants—thereby potentially reducing fertilizer usage as well as water usage and maximizing crop health.

Finally, in the weather forecasting sector, quantum computers can be used to solve complex fluid dynamics that govern weather systems, leading to more reliable forecasts for events such as hurricanes and improving long-term climate change projections.

This brings me to a very important point: quantum is one of those technologies which has a dual-use potential. What I mean by that is it can be used for civilian purposes as well as for military/national security purposes. So while quantum can enable DPI infrastructures, it can also have strategic uses—or they can both overlap. For example, financial services can provide better quality of service to the customer as well as be imperative to secure the national infrastructure. As a result, India must contend with quantum becoming securitized.

For example, one of the first technologies to be securitized was 5G. Next was semiconductors. We are seeing AI systems being shared, but also being developed by into spheres. Quantum, as it develops—as it advances—would be the next technology to come in focus.

So some of the other findings and potential roadblocks and potential questions that we have been looking at are: for example, can India take for granted that it will be able to depend on others to secure access to R&D in quantum? Can India alone develop this advanced technology to maturity without international collaboration? Or should New Delhi adopt a dual-development approach wherein it collaborates with like-minded partners on the civilian aspects of quantum while fostering indigenous capabilities in the areas where quantum would be used for national security purposes?

And lastly, some of the roadblocks we've identified might not surprise any of you here, but I'll go through them nonetheless.

The first is a lack of private funding in quantum R&D. Now, lack of private funding in a pre-commercial R&D space is not a surprise nor is it unique to quantum. Yet public funding on its own may not give efficient and promising results. So we are looking at ways in which the government may be able to de-risk and incentivize the private sector. Another related aspect is to assess whether the larger private sector is even aware of what they can do with quantum technologies and how they can be adopted in their respective areas.

Second, there definitely is an insufficient indigenous supply chain. This connects with the dual-use and securitization challenge that I highlighted earlier. Short- to medium-term plans to develop a quantum supply chain in India currently have low probability. Hence import of components or whole systems from countries like the US, China or the European Union would be required. We are looking at ways in which greater momentum can be applied to targeted self-reliance in quantum and developing foundational quantum capabilities.

Third, the absence of effective coordination among many stakeholders is an early-stage challenge. This is an administrative issue for the most part, but all stakeholders have an interest in the successful development and adoption of quantum technologies in India. Thus we require platforms and forums on which a coordinated and whole-of-society approach can be discussed, outlined and followed.

This was just a very quick overview of what we've been working on. If any of you have any questions or it's just piqued any of your interests, please do look me up and get in touch. I'd be more than happy to engage with you. With that, thank you—and thank you for your attention.

Participants at the Social Contract of Business & Governance