Minister proposes a ‘Quantum Collective’ by BRICS nations to accelerate the tech clock

Bengaluru: Calling for stronger global collaboration in emerging technologies, Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology, N.S. Boseraju, recently urged BRICS nations to work together to accelerate the development and application of quantum technologies.

Speaking at a high-level bilateral meeting at Vidhana Soudha with a Brazilian delegation led by Esther Dweck, Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, Brazil, Boseraju proposed the idea of convening a BRICS Quantum Summit to institutionalise cooperation among member countries.

“Other international groupings such as ASEAN are already organising dedicated quantum summits. As BRICS nations, we must collaborate to harness quantum technology in areas such as agriculture, pharmaceutical research, water resource management, climate forecasting and flood mitigation. A BRICS Quantum Summit could serve as a strategic platform to jointly address shared developmental challenges,” he said.

Highlighting Karnataka’s achievements, the Minister noted that the state was home to India’s first indigenously built commercial quantum computer. He outlined the government’s ambitious roadmap, including the announcement of a $100 million Quantum Innovation Fund and the development of a dedicated Quantum City in Bengaluru.

“Our goal is to build a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035 and generate two lakh jobs in the sector,” Boseraju said, adding that quantum technologies were being explored for applications in agriculture, flood management and healthcare.

Beyond quantum computing, discussions also covered Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and space technologies. The Minister highlighted the implementation of a Digital Water Stack under the Minor Irrigation Department, integrating satellite surveillance and AI to monitor water bodies, prevent encroachments, assess water quality and track groundwater levels.

The Brazilian delegation included senior technology leaders such as Rodrigo Assumpção, President of Dataprev, and representatives from the Brazilian AI Observatory.

Earlier, Boseraju also held a bilateral meeting with a delegation led by Omar Alfredo Penalosa Escalera, Vice-Minister for Science and Technology of Bolivia, to explore strategic cooperation in leveraging AI and quantum computing to enhance education, healthcare and overall quality of life.