In a significant step toward building a homegrown quantum technology ecosystem, the government will fund 100 engineering colleges with ₹1 crore each to establish dedicated quantum research and teaching laboratories, senior officials announced on November 24.

The initiative is aimed at integrating quantum science into undergraduate learning and accelerating innovation under the National Quantum Mission (NQM).

Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar said the government has already received over 500 proposals from institutions. “We are going to set up teaching labs in hundred engineering colleges and institutions for teaching undergraduate minor programs,” he said during an event at IIT Bombay.

Alongside the lab programme, DST is also creating a quantum algorithms technical group to strengthen talent pipelines, equip startups, and advance technology development.

Karandikar noted that IIT Bombay continues to play “a key leadership role” in India’s quantum drive, citing advances made by its Technology Innovation Hub — including support for startups, development of new technologies, and the ongoing work to build Indian-language large language models.

All four hubs under the National Quantum Mission — IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Bombay — have recorded “impressive progress,” with IIT Bombay’s quantum sensing hub standing out, the DST chief added.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh also announced the establishment of two state-of-the-art quantum fabrication and central facilities at IIT Bombay and IISc Bengaluru, backed by a combined investment of ₹720 crore. The centres will focus on indigenising the fabrication of quantum computing chips and quantum sensors — a capability India currently depends on foreign facilities for.

Two additional smaller fabrication centres will be set up at IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur.

“These facilities will be accessible to academia, industry, startups, MSMEs and strategic sectors. They will fast-track technology development, prototyping and small-scale production, especially for startups,” Singh said.

The minister emphasised that the investments would strengthen Indian capabilities in quantum computing, sensing, superconductivity, cryogenic engineering, healthcare technology, photonics and green energy devices.

Singh also highlighted the commissioning of a new cryogenics facility equipped with a helium recovery system that can reduce the cost of cryogenic experiments to nearly one-tenth while conserving a critical global resource.

“As demand for quantum computers grows worldwide, India must simultaneously strengthen its cryogenic infrastructure,” Singh said, calling the developments a marker of India’s expanding leadership in frontier science.

He added that IIT Bombay’s trajectory showcases how coordinated action between government, academia and industry can help build a world-class scientific and technological ecosystem capable of shaping the future.