Modern militaries are dangerously dependent on satellite navigation. Jam or spoof the GPS signal — as adversaries increasingly can — and precision-guided weapons wander, drones lose their way, and units go dark. The question India's planners now face is stark: how do you navigate when the sky is denied?
Quantum sensing offers an answer that cannot be jammed. Quantum inertial navigation systems use ultra-cold atoms to measure acceleration and rotation with extraordinary precision, letting a platform track its own position from a known start point without any external signal. Quantum magnetometers and gravimeters can map terrain and detect submarines or tunnels by sensing minute anomalies invisible to conventional sensors.
Because these systems rely on the immutable laws of physics rather than a broadcast signal, they are inherently resistant to the electronic warfare that cripples GPS. For a nation operating along contested borders and in an increasingly congested electromagnetic spectrum, that resilience is a genuine strategic asset.
India has declared quantum technology a national priority, and Bengaluru's research institutions and deep-tech startups are among those racing to shrink laboratory-grade quantum sensors into ruggedised, field-deployable units. The engineering challenge is formidable: miniaturisation, power efficiency, and stability under the shock and vibration of real operations.
The BDTS Bengaluru Strategic Colloquium on 3 September 2026 places quantum-resilient PNT (positioning, navigation and timing) squarely within its focus on AI, space and autonomous systems. Founders working on quantum sensing will find a room full of DRDO labs, armed-forces users and investors ready to move the technology from the bench to the battlefield.