Can India's Quantum City Project Create a $20 Billion Quantum Economy by 2035?

Chasing a $20 billion dream of quantum, Karnataka aims to look to the future and become a global tech leader. On Bengaluru's outskirts, Karnataka is building the foundation for what it terms a Quantum City, a special hub intended to position India on the world stage of future computing and communication.

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Praised as the 'Silicon Valley of quantum technology,' the endeavor is supported by a Rs 1,000-crore mission and the ambitious assurance of creating a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035.

The presentation is brash, and the headlines are thunderous, but the question remains: Can a city whose science is still in a state of becoming provide such an economic bonanza within ten years?

What is Quantum City and Why Now?

Quantum City or Q-City, as the officials term it, is proposed on 6.17 acres of land in Hessarghatta, Bengaluru. The plan features research facilities, a hardware park, fabrication units, cryogenic chambers, and an incubation hub for startups. It aligns with India's National Quantum Mission (NQM), which was approved last year with Rs 6,003 crore funding till 2031.

The timing is purposeful. Governments from Washington to Beijing are placing big bets on quantum, hoping to position themselves in a leapfrogged secure communications, new materials, and revolutionary computing power position. Karnataka wishes to catch that wave and establish itself as India's quantum capital.

Why $20 Billion Number?