Ritwik Mukherjee

India’s next major deep-tech opportunity could lie in quantum technologies, but unlocking its potential will require the country to move beyond research papers and build solutions that can be deployed in the real world, according to Col Sai Shankar P, VSM (Retd.), Founder and Director of Hyderabad-based QClairvoyance Quantum Labs and Technical Advisor to India’s National Quantum Mission.

A 22-year veteran of the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, Col Shankar believes the transition from sovereign military technology to commercial deep tech is less a change of direction than a continuation of the same mission—building critical capabilities that India can understand, control and develop domestically.

His experience includes helping establish and maintain secure communication systems for the Army and developing SAI (Secure Application for Internet), an encrypted messaging platform for the Armed Forces. The platform, developed and tested over two years, was subsequently recognised by the Ministry of Defence.

The experience reinforced his conviction that strategically important technology needs indigenous capabilities. That conviction, he said, became particularly relevant as quantum computing began to pose a potential threat to existing cryptographic systems. “Quantum computing is going to change the way we think about digital security,” Shankar said, pointing to the vulnerability of encryption systems protecting banking, healthcare and government infrastructure.

QClairvoyance is now working across two principal areas—quantum-safe cybersecurity and quantum-assisted drug discovery. In cybersecurity, the company helps organisations identify quantum-vulnerable cryptography and migrate towards newer post-quantum standards.

The challenge, however, is not about replacing conventional infrastructure with quantum computers. Existing classical systems can be upgraded to implement post-quantum cryptography, Shankar said. The larger task is to identify vulnerable cryptographic components across complex technology environments and build “crypto agility”—the ability to replace algorithms, keys and protocols without rebuilding entire technology stacks.

The company has already completed deployments at stock exchanges of national importance and is working with financial institutions on the transition. With banks, insurance companies and payment networks handling increasingly sensitive digital information, Shankar believes organisations cannot afford to wait until quantum computers become powerful enough to pose an immediate security crisis.

The second area is quantum-assisted drug discovery, where QClairvoyance combines quantum and classical computing to improve molecular simulations. Earlier this year, the company ran simulations on real quantum hardware from IBM and IQM involving molecules including water and Amantadine, with results meeting scientific accuracy benchmarks relevant to research.

The next phase, Shankar said, will involve larger and more complex molecular systems and partnerships with pharmaceutical and research organisations to establish where the technology can generate tangible commercial value.

For him, the larger opportunity extends beyond individual applications. Quantum technology brings together physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering, creating demand for multidisciplinary talent. India, he believes, has much of the intellectual capital required but needs to provide researchers and engineers with difficult problems, strong teams and the freedom to build.

His military background has also shaped his approach to entrepreneurship. While the commercial world demands speed, traction and milestones, deep tech requires patience, experimentation and intellectual honesty, he said.

“Deep tech needs patience,” Shankar said, arguing that companies should prioritise validated technology over premature announcements.

With quantum sensing also emerging as a potential opportunity, QClairvoyance’s ambition is to build a globally respected deep-tech company from India using Indian talent and technology.

India has already demonstrated its ability to build globally competitive capabilities in space, defence and software. The next frontier, Shankar believes, could be quantum—and the more important question now is not whether India can build these technologies, but how far it can take them.