In a major step towards advancing India’s capabilities in quantum-secure communication, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the leading telecom R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Synergy Quantum India Private Limited, a deep-tech company specialising in quantum technologies.The MoU establishes a collaboration for developing drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems using the decoy-based BB84 protocol with polarisation encoding, at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher. This partnership supports the national “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative by bolstering indigenous innovation in secure and emerging telecom technologies.As part of the alliance, C-DOT and Synergy Quantum will co-develop quantum communication systems optimised for drone deployment. The partnership will also focus on joint research proposals, securing national and international grants, and knowledge dissemination through academic publications, white papers, expert talks, and symposia on relevant quantum communication themes.At the MoU signing ceremony, Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, stated, “Public-private collaboration is vital for building a secure and self-reliant digital future. Quantum technologies offer enormous potential, and this partnership with Synergy Quantum aligns with our vision to develop world-class indigenous solutions in this critical area.”Jay Oberoi, Founder and CEO of Synergy Quantum India, said, “This collaboration can propel India to the forefront of global innovation in drone-based quantum secure communications.”The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr Upadhyay, C-DOT Directors Dr Pankaj Dalela and Ms Shikha Srivastava, alongside Jay Oberoi (CEO), Ajay Singh (COO), Dr Vipin Rathi, and AM G S Bedi from Synergy Quantum.The partnership aims to lay the groundwork for future-ready, quantum-safe telecom infrastructure—critical for secure communications in defence, emergency services, national infrastructure, and sensitive government operations.