A joint team of scientists from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, for the first time in the country successfully demonstrated Quantum Key Distribution link between Prayagraj and Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh, a distance of more than 100 km.

Quantum key distribution is a secure communication method which implements a cryptographic protocol involving components of quantum mechanics. It enables two parties to produce a shared random secret key known only to them, which can then be used to encrypt and decrypt messages.

This technological breakthrough was achieved over a commercial grade optical fibre already available in field. With this success, the country has demonstrated indigenous technology of secure key transfer for bootstrapping military grade communication security key hierarchy, the DRDO said.

The performance parameters have been measured and have been found to be repetitively within the reported international standards at sifted key rates of up to 10 KHz. This technology will enable security agencies to plan a suitable quantum communication network with indigenous technology backbone.

The Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the scientists and faculty of DRDO and IIT Delhi for the demonstration of this technology. In his message to the involved scientific fraternity, he mentioned this as one of the shining examples of synergetic research between DRDO and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Director of IIT Delhi, Professor Rangan Banerjee also congratulated the faculty and scientists of DRDO associated with this development for their dedicated efforts to enhance country's technological capability.