Recently, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval joined U.S. President National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a high-profile roundtable discussion. The conference focused on key and emerging technology initiatives in the U.S. and India, with a particular focus on cooperation in quantum technology aimed at surpassing China's leadership in this field. The initiative, which has strong support from the National Security Councils of the United States and India, highlights the intelligence and security dimensions of cooperation.
China's excellence in the field of quantum technology cannot be ignored. In the three major fields of quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum precision measurement, China ranks among the world's leaders. From the "Chapter 9 II" and "Zu Chongzhi II" quantum computing prototypes to the "Micius" quantum satellite, China has continued to make breakthroughs. The recently forthcoming "Wukong" quantum computer has attracted widespread attention, and its core chip is completely independently developed and manufactured by China. These achievements have put the U.S. government and intelligence agencies under intense competitive pressure from China.
The United States also sees the development of quantum technology as a top priority. The White House has officially said that while the quantum field is not new, its latest developments show great potential to drive innovation in the U.S. economy. Through advances in computing and networking, quantum technology will drive revolutionary innovations from energy to medicine, much like the wave of technology triggered by the early internet, GPS and internal combustion engines.
However, the United States will not stand idly by and watch China rise in this strategic area. On a global scale, China and the United States go hand in hand in quantum technology research, each with its own strengths. At the same time, India does not appear to have made significant breakthroughs in this area. So why is the United States working with India to put quantum technology on the agenda in particular?
In fact, this is a traditional talent introduction strategy. The U.S. has been able to maintain its leadership and innovation in science and technology thanks to its global pool of talent. Before and after World War II, the United States mainly attracted talent from Europe. After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, a large number of Chinese poured into the United States. After the end of the Cold War, talent from Eastern Europe and Russia also contributed greatly to the digital technology and economic development of the United States. In the process, India has been an important source of talent. Although India's own economy and technology are not yet developed, this is not the reason for the lack of talent in India. Many Indians who immigrated to the United States showed amazing potential. Today, there are Indians in the executive lineup of major U.S. tech companies, and even many Indians in NASA's technical backbone. From the perspective of the United States, the introduction of quantum talents from India is naturally a promising choice. Through scientific cooperation with India, the United States is expected to discover and train Indian scholars and engineers with potential in the field of quantum technology.
For the U.S. intelligence community, a key role in China's development of quantum communications is to enable encrypted communications that are difficult to break through with existing technologies. This is unacceptable for U.S. intelligence agencies eager to monitor the content of Chinese communications. In software development, computing and aerospace, Indian-American talent has shown unique talent, which is an important reason why the United States turned to India to help solve quantum technology problems.
However, scientific and technological achievements are ultimately in the hands of people. Once the talent development program is effective, the United States can attract these outstanding Indian talents to the United States through preferential policies such as green cards, scholarships, and venture capital. As a result, India's indigenous scientific research results were also lost to the United States.
The Indian government is well aware of this phenomenon. However, without the cooperation of the United States, India may not be able to make a breakthrough in the quantum age. The funding, opportunities, and material conditions provided by the United States can help develop India's indigenous quantum talent. Even though the most brilliant talent may go to the United States, the rest can still play an important role in India. This is a win-win strategy acceptable to both parties.
However, when it comes to quantum technology, India's calculations may be wrong. The complexity and pre-complexity of quantum technology
Continuity goes far beyond the manufacturing of consumer goods. Quantum technology not only requires a large number of talents in the field of mathematics and software, but also requires the support of high-end manufacturing technology to develop hardware devices related to quantum technology, such as quantum chips, quantum computers, quantum measurement equipment and quantum communication satellites. This series of large and complex projects requires a strong industrial base, and India's preparation in this regard seems too simplistic.
Therefore, it is likely that this cooperation will eventually benefit the United States and India will gain little. This is not only because of the aforementioned technical and industrial base issues, but also because the United States does not want to see other countries emerge in the field of quantum technology. In this strategic high-tech field, no country should rely on external cooperation, and only self-reliance is the right way to succeed.
To sum up, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo recently roundtable discussions have attracted widespread attention. The cooperation between the two sides under the framework of the U.S.-India Critical and Emerging Technologies Initiative, especially in the field of quantum technologies, aims to surpass China's leading position. However, the purpose behind the cooperation is not simple, but involves multiple levels such as technology, intelligence, and talent. China's strong performance in the field of quantum technology has made the United States feel unprecedented competitive pressure, and India, as a country with great talent potential, also plays an important role in this international science and technology competition. While cooperation can help nurture India's indigenous quantum talents, India needs to recognize the complexity of quantum technology, and external cooperation alone cannot guarantee its own development in this field. In the future, whether in quantum technology or other scientific and technological fields, independent innovation and technology accumulation are the key to the country's long-term success.