On quantum technologies, US govt announces new policy framework

six PMS expressed serious concern about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. “They unequivocally condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine. They reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities,” said a joint statement issued after the summit.

The Nordic premiers “reiterated their strong condemnation of the unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine by Russian Forces”, according to the joint statement.

India and the Nordic countries backed a rules-based global order and multilateral institutions and said they will work towards making these arrangements “more inclusive, transparent, and accountable” in order to address global challenges more effectively. This includes reforms of the UN, including the Security Council, and the WTO, as well as strengthening collaboration on global health issues such as pandemic preparedness.

The conflict in Ukraine has become a major security concern for the Nordic states, with Sweden and Finland expected to join NATO within months. India has so far refrained from publicly criticising the Russian invasion of Ukraine though it has consistently called for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.

During the meeting between Modi and Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre, Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson, Iceland PM Kataccelerate rín Jakobsdóttir, Finnish PM Sanna Marin and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen, the six countries pledged to deepen cooperation in diverse areas. They focused discussions on issues related to international peace and security, including Ukraine, multilateral cooperation, green transition and climate change, the blue economy, innovation and digitalisation, the joint statement said.

Agreeing to work together to fight climate change, the six PMS described the acceleration of the global green transition as one of the greatest global challenges. They underlined the need to set ambitious goals to reduce emissions and welcomed the international agreement at COP26 to

climate action for holding the increase in the global average temperature to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The leaders also discussed collaboration on environmental sustainability, including clean water and air and the circular economy, for maintaining biodiversity, water and wildlife and to ensure food security.

Modi also held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Modi and Finland’s Marin discussed ways to expand cooperation in new and emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, future mobile technologies. Modi also invited Finnish companies to partner with Indian firms to take advantage of opportunities in the Indian market. Modi and Iceland’s Jakobsdottir discussed ways to strengthen economic cooperation in geothermal energy, the blue economy and the Arctic region. During his meeting with Norway’s Støre, the two sides discussed ways to deepen engagement in renewable energy, green hydrogen, solar and wind projects, fisheries and rainwater harvesting.

Swedish premier Andersson and Modi expressed satisfaction at progress made by the Lead IT initiative, an India-sweden move to set up a Leadership Group on Industry Transition.

WASHINGTON: The US, through two presidential directives on Wednesday, announced a new policy framework to maintain its “competitive advantage in quantum information sciences (QIS)”, and mitigate “the risks of quantum computers to the nation’s cyber, economic and national security” by initiating the process of migrating vulnerable computer systems to quantum-resistant cryptography.

It also laid out a new structure for the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee, placing it directly under the White House to advise the president on the emerging technology. A senior official told reporters that the Joe Biden administration has “integrated cybersecurity and emerging technology into our national security strategy in a truly unprecedented way”.

“Our public approach can be summarised by three mutually reinforcing lines of effort. First, modernising our cyber defences. Second, returning a more active role leading internationally. And third, ensuring America is postured to compete. The two presidential directives on quantum tech are part of that third line of effort. They underscore the president’s commitment to fostering innovation in cutting edge science and technology while continuing to take the necessary steps to safeguard the economy and infrastructure of the future,” the official said.

In keeping with this dual approach, the presidential directive on maintaining US leadership in quantum computing highlights the role of quantum computing in driving innovation, in fields as diverse as material sciences to pharma, finance to energy.

At the same time, Biden’s directive notes that a quantum computer of “sufficient size and sophistication”, known as cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer (CRQC), will be capable of breaking much of the “public-key cryptography used on digital systems” in the US and across the world. “When it becomes available, a CRQC could jeopardise civilian and military technologies, undermine supervisory and control systems for critical infrastructure, and defeat security protocols for most Internet-based finance technologies.”

INDIA-NORDIC TALKS

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND CYBERSECURITY CONSTITUTE TWO PILLARS OF THE STRATEGY