Indian, Israeli Startups Should Collaborate On Quantum Computing: MoS Jitendra Singh

Union minister of state (independent charge) for science and technology Jitendra Singh has urged Israeli startups to partner with Indian new-age tech ventures in quantum computing, spacetech and biotech sectors. 

“India and Israel can supplement each other in this domain (quantum computing) — India with its large market, manpower, and opportunities, and Israel with its cutting-edge innovation,” Singh said.

Touting India’s National Quantum Mission, the MoS also called for fostering cooperation between the startups of the two countries to develop critical quantum technologies.

He made the comments during a meeting with Israel’s industry and economy minister Nir Barkat yesterday (December 3) in New Delhi.

Batting for collaboration between the two nations in the spacetech arena, Singh also said that leveraging Israel’s innovation prowess along with India’s cost-effective production capabilities and large talent pool will yield mutual benefits for both sides. 

The Indian minister also “welcomed” Israeli expertise in the biotechnology space and proposed partnerships to drive innovation in other areas such as agriculture, healthcare, and sustainable development.

Meanwhile, Barkat pitched for collaborative pilots, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies, to help create scalable solutions for both nations.

The development comes at a time when Indian authorities have ramped up their focus on emerging technologies, including AI and quantum computing. Earlier in the day, the Ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) said that it received bids from 19 applicants including Jio Platforms and Tata Communications to offer AI compute service under the INR 10,378 Cr IndiAI Mission. 

Earlier last year, the Cabinet also approved the National Quantum Mission with a total outlay of INR 6,003.65 Cr, encompassing a period of eight years from the financial year 2023-24 to 2030-31.

India’s National Quantum Mission aims to harness the technology for use cases in sectors such as communication, cryptography, and computing. 

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