IIT Madras debuts domestically developed quantum and photonic tools, including a DRDO-adopted QRNG module, signaling India’s strategic push in secure communications and hardware innovation.
Researchers at IIT Madras have commercialized breakthrough photonic packaging and quantum security tools through spin-off LightOnChip, with immediate defense sector adoption and 5G infrastructure trials underway.
Breakthroughs in Photonic Chip Packaging
On 18 July 2024, IIT Madras unveiled its Fibre-Array Unit (FAU) tool capable of reducing photonic chip packaging costs by 30% compared to European alternatives, according to TechInsights’ July market analysis. Director V. Kamakoti noted at the Global Tech Summit: “This isn’t just lab innovation – our MoU with ISRO guarantees 500+ annual FAU orders from 2026.”
Defense and 5G Synergies
The Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG), certified by DRDO on 15 July, will secure military quantum key distribution networks. Simultaneously, Bharti Airtel’s 20 July announcement revealed FAU trials for hardening 5G backhaul security across 10,000 urban nodes by late 2025.
Scaling Challenges Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Despite a 42% YoY photonics market growth (IDC, July 2024), India holds under 2% global share. MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan emphasized: “Our ₹1,200 crore National Quantum Mission allocation prioritizes bridging the packaging capacity gap – currently below 15% of domestic demand.” IIT Madras’ planned ₹200 crore photonics foundry aims to address this by 2026.
Historical Context: From Semiconductors to Photonics
India’s current photonics surge mirrors its 2010s semiconductor policy reforms, which attracted $3 billion in investments despite initial manufacturing hurdles. Similarly, the QRNG’s development builds on ISRO’s 2018 quantum satellite experiments, which demonstrated entanglement-based communication but lacked commercial applications. Analysts note that while LightOnChip’s FAU leverages open-source frameworks – a strategy that accelerated India’s UPI payments dominance – it risks IP leakage in competitive global markets.
