Karnataka Unveils Ambitious Rs 1,000 Crore Quantum Mission, Q-City Planned Near Bengaluru

The landmark announcement was made during the inauguration of the Quantum India Summit 2025 in Bengaluru, an event co-organised by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar duing event (X/@DKShivakumar)

The Karnataka government today launched a groundbreaking ₹1,000 crore Quantum Mission, aiming to establish the state as the "quantum capital of Asia" and a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035. A cornerstone of this ambitious initiative will be the creation of Q-City (Quantum City), a cutting-edge integrated hub for quantum technology innovation, manufacturing, research, and talent development, to be located near Bengaluru.

The landmark announcement was made during the inauguration of the Quantum India Summit 2025 in Bengaluru, an event co-organized by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Science & Technology N S Boseraju outlined the state's comprehensive roadmap for fostering quantum innovation and infrastructure.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, he said, "I am delighted to be here at the event, which is heralding the frontier of technology. Karnataka has rich human resources. Our state is not competing with other states in the country, but we are competing at a global level."

"We have laid a strong foundation for Bengaluru to become a global leader in technology. Our government is committed to providing all the support for it to become a leader in quantum technology, too. When I was the minister in S M Krishna’s government, we brought the IT policy, and it led to Bengaluru’s growth that we are witnessing today," he recalled.

"The tech industry must look at those cities too for setting up their offices. Our state has over 300 colleges. Our tech education legacy goes back a century, when IISc was set up. Jawaharlal Nehru’s public sector industrialisation also helped Bengaluru grow in a big way," he added.

Karnataka isn’t just witnessing the Quantum Revolution - we’re building it.

Honoured to be a part of the inaugural ceremony of the Quantum India Bengaluru Summit 2025 today.

With Bengaluru at its core, India’s quantum future is unfolding - driven by innovation, powered by… pic.twitter.com/mArh1DX9sV

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) July 31, 2025

Vision For A Quantum Future

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah articulated a bold vision for the state's quantum future. "By 2035, we aim to create 10,000 high-skilled jobs and establish Karnataka as the quantum capital of Asia," he stated.

To support this goal, the Chief Minister announced the formation of a Quantum Technology Task Force to guide policy frameworks. Additionally, the government will launch a Quantum Venture Capital Fund designed to back over 100 startups and generate at least 100 patents within the sector. The overall initiative is projected to create more than 2 lakh direct jobs.

Excerpts from my address at the Quantum India Bengaluru Summit 2025:

Bengaluru isn’t just a city - it’s the nucleus of India’s innovation story. From pioneering IT to leading deep-tech breakthroughs, our journey continues with quantum.

Karnataka is ready to lead India’s quantum… pic.twitter.com/hYXh2Z1koV

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) July 31, 2025

Q-City: A Hub For Quantum Advancement

Minister Boseraju elaborated on the plans for Q-City, emphasizing its role as a pivotal center for quantum development. "As part of this effort, our government will establish Q-City where world-class facilities will be provided," Boseraju said. "This city will integrate academic institutions, innovation centers, manufacturing clusters for quantum hardware, processors, ancillary units, and R&D hubs supported by quantum high-performance computing (HPC) data centers."

The minister proudly highlighted that Karnataka is already home to India’s first commercially deployable quantum computer, built domestically in Bengaluru by a team of local engineers. "This computer is not just a proof of concept but a testimony to determination. Developed indigenously, it is already delivering commercial services," he added.

Bolstering Existing Infrastructure and Future Plans

Karnataka has already made significant strides in quantum research with the Quantum Research Park at IISc Bengaluru. This park has supported over 55 research and development (R&D) projects and 13 startups, while training more than 1,000 quantum professionals annually. To further enhance its activities, the state has sanctioned an additional ₹48 crore in funding.

Looking ahead, Karnataka today also unveiled plans to establish India’s first Quantum Hardware Park, alongside four innovation zones and a dedicated quantum chip fabrication facility, all expected to be operational by the end of this year. "Quantum chip fabrication capability will be operational by the year-end. This will enable domestic production of advanced quantum components and devices," Boseraju confirmed.

The minister also urged the Central government for policy flexibility, essential for enabling state-level innovation. "The Government of India has launched the National Quantum Mission with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore. For its successful implementation, the Centre must allow Karnataka to lead with innovative and decentralized approaches," he remarked, addressing DST Secretary Abhay Karandikar.

Talent Development and Strategic Pillars

To cultivate a robust talent pipeline across the state, Minister Boseraju announced that Karnataka will introduce a quantum curriculum at the higher secondary level in both English and Kannada under its Stream Labs initiative. The state will also roll out quantum skilling programs in 20 colleges, expand DST-funded PhD fellowships to 150 students, and extend these programs to tier-2 and tier-3 cities and over 20 universities.

The state's comprehensive roadmap is structured around five strategic pillars: talent development, R&D pilots, infrastructure, industry support, and global partnerships.

Karnataka's Quantum Mission also aims to develop 1,000-qubit quantum processors and pilot real-world applications in critical sectors such as healthcare, cybersecurity, governance, agriculture, and early disease detection, underscoring the state's commitment to tangible quantum advancements.