Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Railways and Information & Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced the establishment of an Advanced Quantum Computing and Quantum Communications Lab and an Artificial Intelligence Lab at the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, as part of the government’s push to build indigenous capabilities in emerging technologies.
The quantum lab, to be established under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Electronics and ICT Academic Project, will focus on developing domestic expertise in Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), quantum computing simulation, and quantum sensing hardware components.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities in next-generation computing and secure communications technologies.
Addressing students and faculty members, Vaishnaw said, “While the current technological wave is being driven by AI, the next major technological wave will be led by Quantum Technology.”
Highlighting the strategic significance of the initiative, the minister noted that research in Quantum Key Distribution would be critical for national security and urged MNIT Jaipur to take a leadership role in post-quantum cryptography.
In a parallel move to strengthen semiconductor talent development, Vaishnaw announced that MNIT students will gain access to Lam Research’s Semiverse Solutions platform, a digital twin-based semiconductor fabrication and training ecosystem. The platform will enable students to study semiconductor chip structures in 3D, understand fabrication processes, and simulate manufacturing workflows in a virtual environment.
The minister said the global semiconductor industry is expected to require more than one million semiconductor design professionals, presenting a significant opportunity for India’s engineering talent pool.
He pointed out that companies such as NVIDIA, Qualcomm, ARM and AMD are already designing advanced 2-nanometre and 3-nanometre semiconductor chips in India, driven by the country’s growing semiconductor design workforce.
Vaishnaw also highlighted the progress of the government’s Chips to Startup (C2S) Programme, under which Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools from leading companies, including Synopsys, Cadence and Renesas, have been provided to more than 323 universities across the country.
According to the minister, over 100 student-designed chips from Indian institutions have already been fabricated at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali, demonstrating the growing capabilities of India’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Alongside the quantum initiative, the government will establish an AI Lab at MNIT Jaipur equipped with advanced computing infrastructure and research tools. The facility will be integrated with the broader IndiaAI Mission network to support AI innovation and research.
Referring to ongoing AI research in the country, Vaishnaw highlighted work being carried out at IIT Jodhpur to develop deepfake detection technologies, indicating the government’s focus on responsible AI applications.
The minister also inaugurated a new Makers Lab at MNIT Jaipur, along with Rajasthan’s Minister of State for Energy, Heeralal Nagar, and MLA Gopal Sharma. The facility is designed to provide students with hands-on experience across software and hardware technologies, including sensors, embedded systems, electronics, and computing devices.
During his visit, Vaishnaw interacted with students and faculty members and reviewed projects spanning AI, robotics, drones, structural engineering, and post-quantum cryptography, underscoring the government’s emphasis on building a future-ready technology talent pipeline.
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