Upon completion of the successful testing of the Quantum Key Distribution technology, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has acclaimed another milestone in quantum technology by successfully developing a Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG), as stated by the Defence Ministry.

DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory for Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT), which is a DRDO facility, located in Mumbai, has developed a QRNG. It has the ability for detection of random quantum events and can convert those into stream of binary digits.

The facility has developed a fiber-optic branch path based QRNG. This relies on the principle if a single photon falls on a balanced beam splitter, it will take either of the beam-splitter output paths randomly.

Since the path chosen by photon is random, the randomness is translated to a sequence of binary digits called bits.

Random numbers have essential role for quantum communication, cryptography, key generation applications, key wrapping, authentication along with scientific simulations, lotteries, and fundamental physics experiments.

The generation of perfect randomness is generally considered impossible with classical methodologies, whereas Quantum mechanics has the inherent potential of delivering true random numbers and become a preferred option for scientific applications for randomness requirement.

“The QRNG system developed by the laboratory (DYSL-QT) has passed the global randomness testing standards of NIST and Die-harder Statistical Test Suites at the speed of around 150 kbps after post-processing. The generated random numbers are also evaluated and verified using DRDO’s indigenously developed Randomness Testing Statistical Test Suite of SAG. With this development, India enters the club of countries which have the technology to achieve the generation of random numbers based on the Quantum Phenomenon,” says a press statement from the Defence Ministry.

The DRDO announced that their Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology went through a successful trial between two laboratories in Hyderabad, where the quantum technology-based security was validated for a range of 12km long over a fibre optic channel. QKD is primarily a mechanism for secure communication, which utilizes a cryptographic protocol. It involves various components of quantum mechanics, and the technology enables two communicating ends to come with random secret keys shared by both of them, and known exclusively to them. It can only be used by them to encrypt and decrypt messages, providing a secure communication channel.

DYSL-QT is one of the five YSLs (Young Scientist Laboratories) of the DRDO, which are working on the five different technologies.

The other facilities are Artificial Intelligence (DTSL-AI) Bengaluru, Cognitive Technologies (DYSL-CT) Chennai, Asymmetric Technologies (DYSL-AT) Kolkata, and Smart Materials (DYSL-SM) Hyderabad.

These five facilities are dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister, Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi in January this year.

The various facilities of the DRDO are presently working on the various quantum technology-based applications, and in December last year, an international symposium on Quantum Information Technology (ISQIT 2019) was organized in Pune by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) of the DRDO, the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO), and Joint Advanced Technology Centre (JATC) of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Quantum Technologies relates the study, control and manipulation of quantum principle-based systems with the aim of achieving information processing, secure communication, and superior sensors beyond the limits of the classical systems.

It is highly an interdisciplinary field, which lays on the cross-over areas of quantum physics, condensed matter physics, computer science, mathematics, and electrical and electronics engineering.