April 20, 2023: The Indian government is to launch a  National Quantum Mission (NQM)  with an outlay of  Rs 6,003.65 crore ( ~ Rs 60 billion) for 8 years till 2031.
Six countries , the US, Finland, Austria, France, China and Canada  are  currently known to be working on quantum technology and India aspires to be the seventh.
The plan involves developing “intermediate scale” quantum computers with 20-50 physical ‘qubits’ in three years, 50-100 physical qubits in five years and 50-1,000 physical qubits in eight years.
Other targets: “(developing) satellite based secure quantum communications between ground stations over a range of 2,000 kilometres within India, long distance secure quantum communications with other countries, inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km as well as multi-node quantum network with quantum memories are also some of the deliverables of the mission,” according to a release of the Department of Science and Technology.
Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) would be set up in top academic and National R&D institutes on the domains of ‘Quantum Computing’, ‘Quantum Communication’, ‘Quantum Sensing & Metrology’ and ‘Quantum Materials & Devices’. The hubs, which will focus on the generation of new knowledge through basic and applied research as well as promote R&D in areas that are mandated to them
Graphical  presentation of the mission here
Our earlier report here
Backgrounder to Indian Quantum Computing here