• In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully demonstrated free-space Quantum Communication over a distance of 300 metre, with several technologies developed within the country.
• The demonstration included live video conferencing using quantum-key-encrypted signals, at Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, between two line-of-sight buildings within the campus.
• The experiment was done at night to ensure that there is no interference of the direct sunlight.
• This is a major milestone achievement for unconditionally secured satellite data communication using quantum technologies
• A number of key technologies were developed indigenously to accomplish this major feat, which included the use of indigenously developed NAVIC receiver for time synchronization between the transmitter and receiver modules, and gimbal mechanism systems instead of bulky large-aperture telescopes for optical alignment.
• This demonstration is a step towards ISRO’s goal of demonstrating Satellite Based Quantum Communication, under which ISRO aims to demonstrate the technology between two Indian ground stations.

Quantum Communication :

• The Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology make use of Quantum Communication technology to ensure unconditional data security based on the principles of quantum mechanics, which is not possible with the conventional encryption systems.
• The conventional cryptosystems used for data-encryption is based on the complexity of mathematical algorithms, whereas the data-encryption in quantum communication is based on the laws of Physics.
• Therefore, quantum cryptography is considered as ‘future-proof’, because no future advancements in the computational power can break quantum-cryptosystem.