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QNu Labs Demonstrates India's First 5.56 km Free-Space Quantum Key Distribution Link
QNu Labs, in collaboration with BISAG-N and IIT Gandhinagar, has successfully demonstrated India's first free-space Quantum Key Distribution link at a scale of 5.56 km. Announced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on October 3, 2026, the field trial was conducted on the night of September 27 and 28, establishing a secure quantum communication channel between BISAG-N and IIT Gandhinagar using QNu Labs' Pointing, Acquisition and Tracking (PAT) system.
The trial achieved a stable Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) below 5% and generated secure keys at 230 to 260 bits per second. The quantum-generated keys were fed directly into BISAG-N's Vedic Kavach platform, a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and QRNG-enabled application, enabling end-to-end encryption and decryption of test messages across two independent layers of quantum security.
Highlighting the milestone, Sunil Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of QNu Labs, stated: "Quantum security will become meaningful at scale only when technologies can move beyond controlled laboratory environments and operate across real communication infrastructure. This field trial demonstrates that QKD, supported by precise optical tracking, can be deployed over a multi-kilometre free-space link and integrated with a post-quantum security layer."
Adding perspective on the collaborative effort, Cmde Manish Tripathi (Retd.), In-charge of ISTF at IIT Gandhinagar, noted: "The successful demonstration of a 5.56 km free-space QKD link provides a valuable field environment for advancing practical quantum communication technologies, bringing together academic research, indigenous technology, and real-world experimentation.
Furthermore, Dr. Vinay Thakur, DG of BISAG-N, emphasized:
"The integration of Vedic Kavach with QNu Labs’ QKD technology demonstrates the potential of combining post-quantum cryptography with quantum key distribution as complementary layers of security to evolve with emerging requirements."
Free-space QKD does not depend on fibre. It transmits keys as single photons through open air, making it the foundation for quantum-secure communication in locations where physical infrastructure cannot reach, and the necessary stepping stone toward satellite-based quantum communication.
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