The Centre for Growth of Telematics (C-DOT), in collaboration with Sterlite Applied sciences Restricted (STL), has efficiently carried out India’s first Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) transmission over a 4-core Multi-Core Fibre (MCF), marking a significant milestone within the nation’s journey in the direction of quantum-secured communication networks.
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What’s Multi-Core Fibre?
Multi-Core Fibre (MCF) know-how offers a robust resolution by enabling knowledge transmission throughout a number of cores inside a single fibre, considerably decreasing bodily area necessities and infrastructure prices. In keeping with the Ministry of Communications, within the context of QKD — which generally requires a devoted darkish fibre for the quantum channel, MCF allows the bodily separation of quantum and classical alerts into distinct cores inside a single fibre.
This permits for the simultaneous transmission of QKD and high-capacity knowledge site visitors on a single fibre with out compromising quantum sign integrity thereby saving fibre value, the Ministry introduced on Thursday, April 19, 2025.
Simultaneous QKD and Information Transmission
On this demonstration, quantum alerts for QKD have been transmitted by way of one core, whereas the remaining three cores in the identical fibre carried high-speed consumer knowledge. A secure QKD hyperlink was established over a distance exceeding 100 km, validating the robustness and stability of quantum communication even amidst high-capacity classical knowledge site visitors, based on C-DOT.
C-DOT has efficiently developed and deployed industry-grade Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) techniques. Notably, C-DOT’s QKD techniques have obtained Expertise Approval from the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), a physique beneath the DoT.
India’s Quantum Future
“This initiative is a key milestone for India’s telecom ecosystem. This achievement clearly establishes the feasibility of built-in quantum-classical networks over next-generation optical fibres saving prices for QKD deployments drastically,” stated Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT.
Rahul Puri, CEO of Optical Networking Enterprise, STL stated: “This breakthrough collaboration with C-DOT underscores India’s rising prowess in pioneering next-gen digital infrastructure.”
“By efficiently integrating QKD with our indigenously developed MCF, we’ve got demonstrated how cutting-edge optical improvements can revolutionise safe communication. We’re dedicated to advancing India’s quantum communication ambitions whereas driving international optical management,” he stated, noting that this milestone is a testomony to the ability of public-private partnerships in constructing a digitally sovereign and safe nation.
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C-DOT and STL
C-DOT is the R&D arm of the Division of Telecommunications (DoT). STL, an optical networking options firm, has just lately developed the MCF utilizing House Division Multiplexing, enabling ultra-high capability knowledge transmission inside the similar fibre diameter.
Each organisations reaffirmed their dedication to advancing India’s capabilities in quantum communication and next-generation optical applied sciences.
