Context:
A Government task force has recommended that India’s critical sectors such as government, defence, banking, telecom, transport and power should shift towards quantum-safe encryption. The warning is that future quantum computers may break present public-key encryption systems, risking confidential data and digital trust.
- Encryption means converting readable information into secret code so that only the authorised person or system can read it.
- Example: if India’s defence forces send missile-location or border-surveillance data, encryption ensures enemies cannot understand it even if they intercept it.
- The need for encryption is rising because government, banking, telecom, transport and power systems now depend heavily on digital networks.
- Today, normal mathematical encryption dominates global digital systems, while another type called quantum cryptography is still limited to experimental, specialised and high-security uses.
- A key property of quantum mechanics is that observing a quantum particle changes its state; in cryptography, this can help detect if someone secretly tries to intercept a key.
- But quantum cryptography is costly and hardware-heavy, so it cannot easily protect every bank, mobile tower, website, power grid and government database.
- A third type called Post-Quantum Cryptography is therefore needed because it can be added through software upgrades and can protect existing digital infrastructure at large scale.
- For India, quantum-safe encryption is important to protect national security, financial trust, citizen data and digital sovereignty.
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2026 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040