Advancing India’s capabilities in quantum-secured communications, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully configured and tested a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform on a real, operational military communication network at one of its test ranges.
This demonstrates the use of QKD to fortify real-time critical observations and telemetry associated with artillery and armoured weapon tests and evaluation, according to information shared by the DRDO on Wednesday.
The test was carried out at its Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur in Odisha.
“Quantum Key Distribution has been designed and developed under the Microelectronic Devices, Computational Systems and Cyber Security (MCC) cluster of DRDO, with production partner Taqbit labs, and will aptly provide unconditional security along with eavesdropping detection,” the DRDO said.
The ranges at PXE are among those where India tests artillery and armoured platforms as well as some other weapon systems under actual operational conditions.
During such tests, large amounts of critical real-time data, such as telemetry, sensor readings, performance parameters and technical observations, are transmitted between different centres. Protecting that data with QKD implies that not only is the information secure even if there are attempts to intercept it, but also that any interception attempt is spotted immediately, DRDO sources said.
In July this year, the DRDO, in collaboration with its production partner, had completed military field trials of a scalable and practically secure, fibre-based QKD system, thereby moving ahead in providing safe and reliable strategic communication systems.
Quantum communication provides fundamentally unbreakable encryption, making it a dual-use technology with applications in securing data in strategic sectors such as defence, finance and telecommunications, as well as in protecting national security-related communications.
“This successfully lays the foundation for large-scale, multi-hop quantum networks that is indigenously designed and can seamlessly safeguard national communication infrastructure against emerging cyber threats in the quantum era,” the DRDO had then said.
Last year, the DRDO had successfully demonstrated an experimental advancement in quantum communication through the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT-Delhi. This secure communication paved the way for real-time applications in quantum cybersecurity, including QKD, the development of quantum networks and the future quantum internet.
According to official statements, quantum entanglement-based QKD offers significant advantages over the traditional prepare-and-measure method by enhancing both security and functionality.
Even if communication devices are compromised or imperfect, the use of quantum entanglement ensures secure key distribution. Any attempt to measure or intercept the entangled photons disturbs their quantum state, allowing authorised users to detect the presence of an eavesdropper.
In May 2025, the DRDO had set up a new Quantum Research Centre in Delhi to strengthen indigenous capabilities in quantum computing for strategic and defence applications.
The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art experimental set-ups for research and development in critical quantum domains, including characterisation of experimental platforms for developing and validating quantum key distribution techniques to enable ultra-secure communication and safeguard national security in the post-quantum era.
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