India establishes 1st 5.56km free-space QKD link in trial
Technology
India has set up its first-ever free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) link, covering 5.56km, a big step for secure communication tech.
This successful trial, held in late September, was a team effort by QNu Labs, BISAG-N, and IIT Gandhinagar.
Trial combines QKD and post-quantum cryptography
The trial proved India can send ultra-secure messages using quantum tech, keeping error rates low and generating encryption keys at solid speeds.
By combining hardware-based QKD with post-quantum cryptography on BISAG-N's Vedic Kavach platform, the team showed how future-proofed our digital security could be: think safer long-distance and even satellite communications down the line.