India vs China in quantum warfare: How QuBeats positions India in the sensor dominance race

India’s entry into quantum navigation with deeptech startup QuBeats comes at a time when China and the United States have already begun field-testing and deploying next-generation quantum sensors for GPS-denied warfare. The ₹25 crore grant awarded to QuBeats by the Ministry of Defence under the ADITI 2.0 program marks more than a domestic milestone—it signals a new chapter in the global race for sensor supremacy, where quantum systems may redefine how militaries operate in satellite-blind environments.

With the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deploying quantum magnetometer-equipped drones and the U.S. Department of Defense validating chip-scale atomic clocks and quantum inertial navigation systems, India’s push into indigenous quantum positioning systems (QPS) via QuBeats is a strategic development in one of the most contested technology frontiers of modern warfare.

What is China building in the quantum navigation space?

In April 2025, Chinese defense-linked researchers unveiled a drone-mounted quantum magnetometer that demonstrated sub-nanotesla sensitivity during marine testing. Built by the Quantum Engineering Research Centre under China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the system achieved a detection precision of 2.5 nT, improving to 0.85 nT after correction. The quantum sensor reportedly produced 99.8% survey accuracy across repeated trials in GPS-blind marine zones such as the South China Sea.

The technology, which operates on the Coherent Population Trapping (CPT) principle, has been directly tied to PLA naval programs. It is designed to support GPS-independent tracking of vessels and submarines, offering China an asymmetric edge in stealth surveillance and anti-submarine warfare. China’s broader quantum navigation roadmap also includes quantum gyroscopes and gravimeters intended for battlefield deployment and long-range missile guidance.

This is not a new pursuit. Since at least 2017, China’s PLA-affiliated labs have been developing magnetic anomaly navigation systems designed to match or exceed satellite-based precision. These investments reflect a deliberate move to secure spatial autonomy in electronically contested environments, particularly in areas where GPS jamming and spoofing are expected to become routine.

How is the United States advancing quantum navigation systems?

The United States has been investing aggressively in GPS-denied navigation systems through programs under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The most notable of these is the Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) initiative, launched in 2024 to fund the development of vibration-resistant, field-deployable quantum sensing platforms.

DARPA’s RoQS portfolio includes chip-scale atomic clocks, quantum accelerometers, and hybrid inertial navigation solutions that integrate quantum signal processing. Meanwhile, DIU is working with major defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin on projects like QuINS (Quantum Inertial Navigation System), which aims to provide GPS-level accuracy for naval vessels, unmanned systems, and airborne platforms without satellite dependency.

In parallel, the U.S. Office of Naval Research has been advancing MagNav technology—magnetic anomaly-based navigation—onboard aircraft and submarines. By leveraging the Earth’s crustal magnetic map, these systems offer a precise geolocation alternative when satellites are inaccessible. DIU and Lockheed Martin recently confirmed that early results from MagNav-equipped platforms show accuracy improvements over legacy INS systems by an order of magnitude.

A major commercial partner in this effort is Australian quantum software company Q-CTRL, whose “Ironstone Opal” quantum navigation solution was validated in real-world airborne tests in 2025. It achieved position errors of just 22 meters over a 500-kilometer flight path—outperforming traditional inertial navigation by 50 times in accuracy.

What is QuBeats developing under the ADITI 2.0 grant?

QuBeats, a Hyderabad-based quantum sensing startup, is building an indigenous Quantum Positioning System (QPS) using entangled magnetometers, high-precision gyroscopes, and atomic clocks. Funded with ₹25 crore (~US$ 3 million) through the Ministry of Defence’s ADITI 2.0 Challenge, the startup aims to deliver GPS-independent navigation capabilities for the Indian Navy.

The system is designed to provide resilient positioning data in denied or degraded satellite environments—particularly underwater and in low-signal airspace—by detecting Earth’s magnetic anomalies. This would enable naval submarines, drones, and manned vessels to operate without reliance on GPS, which is vulnerable to spoofing, jamming, or kinetic disablement in high-conflict zones.

The startup’s founding team includes researchers and engineers with affiliations to the Max Planck Society, Lawrence Berkeley Lab, University of Maryland, and MIT. Their core technology stack combines quantum magnetometers with Rydberg atom-based radar and deep earth signal processors, offering not only navigation but also electromagnetic anomaly detection and stealth target mapping.

How do India’s capabilities compare with the global benchmark?

At this stage, QuBeats is at least 12 to 24 months behind Chinese and American systems that have completed real-world deployments and performance validation. Q-CTRL’s airborne demonstrations and China’s PLA-linked marine drone trials have shown operational field precision at sub-nanotesla levels—benchmarks that remain aspirational for Indian quantum startups.

However, what India lacks in deployment maturity, it compensates with a policy framework geared toward sovereign deeptech development. Through programs like iDEX and the National Quantum Mission, Indian startups are being incentivized to build dual-use IP at the convergence of defense, aerospace, and strategic infrastructure.

QuBeats’ biggest differentiator is its explicit Made-in-India mandate, which could make its technology more export-compliant for friendly navies in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East—many of which face the same GPS denial risks but lack indigenous quantum capabilities.

What is the investor outlook for quantum defence startups like QuBeats?

The global quantum sensing market is projected to exceed US$ 10 billion by 2030, with the defense segment accounting for nearly 40% of near-term deployments. Dual-use startups like QuBeats are expected to draw increasing interest from specialized venture funds and sovereign strategic capital vehicles, particularly those targeting battlefield resilience and IP-heavy sectors.

While QuBeats is not yet listed, its ongoing seed round is reportedly attracting deeptech-focused investors with an appetite for long-gestation defense technologies. The startup’s grant validation through ADITI 2.0 positions it favorably to receive co-investment from SIDBI’s Defence Innovation Fund and potentially from international defense innovation accelerators.

Institutional interest may accelerate further if QuBeats can initiate successful trials aboard Indian naval assets and demonstrate performance against operational metrics.

What comes next for India’s quantum navigation ambitions?

For India to close the gap with China and the United States, QuBeats and other indigenous players will need to deploy prototypes on real maritime or UAV platforms under DRDO or Navy observation. Integration with existing inertial navigation stacks, field ruggedization under high-vibration and high-EMI environments, and demonstration of mission success in naval or aerospace trials will be necessary. Strategic collaborations across DRDO, ISRO, and global defense research institutions could also enable greater interoperability and speed of development.

If these milestones are achieved, India could emerge as a credible alternative in the global quantum navigation supply chain—offering not just a sovereign solution but a democratized model for the next era of military positioning systems.

What QuBeats must prove next in the race for quantum sensor dominance

QuBeats’ entry into India’s defence quantum ecosystem is a signal moment, but also a strategic test of the country’s ability to convert indigenous science into military-grade field technology. While the ₹25 crore ADITI 2.0 grant has validated the startup’s foundational technology and its alignment with national security goals, the real challenge lies ahead—scaling from controlled lab conditions to dynamic and often hostile operational environments.

Globally, China’s People’s Liberation Army has already started integrating quantum magnetometers into autonomous underwater drones and stealth maritime patrol units. These systems are reportedly undergoing marine deployment cycles in regions like the South China Sea, leveraging Earth’s magnetic anomalies to detect submarine activity with high precision. In parallel, the United States is embedding quantum inertial navigation systems and chip-scale atomic clocks into aircraft, naval fleets, and space-bound vehicles. These are not merely prototypes—they are operationalized tools integrated into layered command-and-control architectures for real-time decision-making in GPS-denied theatres.

India, by contrast, is entering the field from a position of promise but not parity. QuBeats must demonstrate that its quantum navigation systems can withstand the rigors of deployment on Indian Navy assets—ranging from submarines to autonomous surface vessels. These platforms encounter high-pressure underwater conditions, extreme temperature fluctuations, electronic interference, and operational noise that can disrupt delicate quantum coherence. Performance reliability under these variables will be key.

To compete globally, QuBeats must now establish a demonstrable roadmap that includes environmental ruggedization, redundancy integration with inertial navigation units, and live mission simulations. Proof-of-concept is no longer enough. The Indian startup must initiate field trials with DRDO, the Indian Navy’s test units, and aerospace integrators to benchmark against global standards such as Q-CTRL’s Ironstone Opal or DARPA’s QuINS. Demonstrations must include precision tracking in the absence of GPS, real-time magnetic anomaly mapping, and seamless sensor fusion with conventional navigation stacks.

Another strategic dimension is lifecycle support. Defence buyers are increasingly prioritizing modularity, upgrade potential, and software-defined adaptability in sensor systems. QuBeats will need to show that its hardware can evolve with software stack enhancements and integrate into multi-domain operational command layers. For India’s own defence procurement ecosystem—currently shifting from platform-based to outcome-based procurement—this adaptability could be the defining differentiator.

Export-readiness is another crucial milestone. Friendly navies in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East are grappling with increasing GPS spoofing incidents but lack sovereign quantum capabilities. QuBeats must build a case for India to become a net exporter of GPS-denied navigation systems, positioning itself as a non-aligned, IP-owning alternative to Western or Chinese solutions. This would also support India’s diplomatic push for defence co-development under strategic frameworks like SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

Ultimately, whether QuBeats becomes India’s first quantum navigation export success—or falls short of global ruggedization demands—will hinge on its ability to cross the difficult bridge between grant-stage innovation and battle-tested operational reliability. In the race for quantum sensor dominance, technical declarations and white papers will matter far less than deployment data and precision logs captured in real-world operations. The battlefield, increasingly, is being defined by sensors that see what satellites cannot. And in that space, the invisible magnetic lines are becoming the decisive front.