In the span of just a few minutes, the world can be thrown into disorder. Consider what happened recently across Europe: cyberattacks hit airports in London, Brussels and Berlin, leading to widespread delays and confusion. While for passengers this meant frustration and inconvenience, the bigger question looms—if airports can be so easily disrupted, what about critical sectors such as power, defense and finance? The truth is unsettling: cyberattacks are no longer remote possibilities, they are real and present dangers.
And these dangers will only grow. Wars are evolving. The last major conflict showed that while once aircraft had to cross borders to strike, this time weapons were fired without such movement. The next war may be even more different. Instead of tanks or aircraft, the most decisive moves may happen silently in the digital world. Encryption—the foundation of digital security—is at risk. And the force threatening to overturn it is quantum computing.
To understand what is at stake, one must start with how encryption works today. Encryption relies on prime numbers. A prime number is one that can only be divided by itself or one. Numbers like 5 are prime, while numbers like 4 are not. The current system takes two very large prime numbers, multiplies them and uses the result as a key.
This method is powerful because while multiplying large primes is easy, reversing the process is extremely hard. Even with the fastest supercomputers, breaking a 2048-bit key would take eight billion years. This near-impossibility is what protects everything from banking passwords to missile guidance systems. Whether it is a digital conversation, a financial transaction, or the control signals guiding advanced weapons, all are wrapped in layers of encryption generated by these massive prime-based keys.
But here is the critical shift. What takes eight billion years for a classical supercomputer to break can take just six hours on a quantum computer. The difference is astronomical. A fortress that seemed indestructible for eternity suddenly crumbles in less than a day.
The implications are immense. Blockchain, passwords, WhatsApp calls, Zoom meetings, all of these can be broken open. If someone were listening to Wi-Fi signals outside, with a quantum computer they could crack into the communication. More dangerously, military systems that depend on encrypted instructions are exposed.
Consider a missile. It receives encrypted signals from the ground, telling it where to go and what target to hit. If those signals are decrypted and manipulated, instead of reaching its intended target, the missile could be turned around mid-flight to strike elsewhere—even within the country that launched it. This is not science fiction. This is the real possibility that quantum computing makes visible.
These threats cut to the heart of sovereignty. In the past, sovereignty meant protecting borders, airspace and waters. Today, it means protecting digital assets just as much. Attacks are happening even now. Airports being disrupted is one level. But imagine if nuclear power stations are hacked, or if financial markets are manipulated.
Governments, too, no longer keep secrets in dusty files or locked cupboards. Everything is digital. Sensitive ministerial discussions, classified strategies and state documents are all stored and transmitted through encrypted systems. If that encryption collapses, sovereignty is compromised. The ability of a country to control its own destiny depends on whether it can secure its digital infrastructure.
Recognising the urgency, the Government of India has already taken a step. Just two days ago, the Department of Science and Technology announced the formation of a committee to examine how to secure the nation’s digital assets in the age of quantum computing. The question is not whether change is needed but how fast and how decisively it can happen.
This is not just about wars and state secrets. Ordinary citizens are already facing growing cyber risks. That is why campaigns warn people not to share OTPs or fall prey to digital arrest scams. These messages exist because scams are happening every day and millions are losing money and data.
If today’s citizens are vulnerable even with encryption holding strong, imagine the scale of exposure once quantum computers make current encryption obsolete. Fraud, identity theft and financial manipulation would rise dramatically. The risks will not decrease—they will increase. And without preparation, individuals and families could face consequences just as severe as institutions.
The challenges laid out are profound:
Each question highlights not just a technical issue but a matter of sovereignty, safety and
survival.
While the threats are real, the tone must remain constructive. The very act of acknowledging the danger is a step forward. By forming a national committee, the government has shown recognition of the problem and willingness to address it. Citizens are being educated through public campaigns. Awareness is rising.
The key is to continue moving quickly. India must ensure that digital assets are secured before adversaries can exploit the vulnerabilities. Wars may not involve crossing borders in the future, but every weapon and every digital tool used in conflict must remain firmly under control.
This is not about fear but about preparation. With foresight and decisive action, the threats of quantum disruption can be managed. The challenge can even become an opportunity to strengthen sovereignty in ways that were never before considered.
The world has changed. Wars will not look like they did in the past. Cyberattacks are happening even now, disrupting airports and delaying flights. Quantum computing promises to break open the encryption that underpins modern life, leaving passwords, calls, transactions and even missiles vulnerable.
Yet this is not a hopeless story. It is a call to action. Sovereignty in the digital age will be defined by how well a nation secures its digital assets. For India, the task is urgent but achievable. By preparing now— through stronger systems, greater awareness and coordinated action—the nation can ensure its digital future remains secure.
The constructive lesson is clear: while the threats are growing, so too is the resolve to address them. Digital sovereignty is the frontier of tomorrow and the steps taken today will decide whether that frontier is lost or protected.
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