Intro: In an era where technology is rewriting geopolitics, economics and everyday life, India stands at a decisive crossroads. From artificial intelligence and quantum computing to cybersecurity and talent sovereignty, the choices made today will shape the national tech resilience for decades. In this wide-ranging and deeply grounded exclusive conversation, Prof. Ajay Singh interacts with Mahima Sharma of Indiastat, to cut through the hype and comparisons to offer a pragmatic roadmap. A path ahead rooted in strategic autonomy, frugal innovation and ethical responsibility on how India can compete globally while safeguarding its future at home. Our Socio-economic Voices of the week…a must read!
MS: How should India balance investments in quantum technology, AI and cybersecurity to secure both economic growth and national security?
Prof Singh: The Government of India has recognized that to be relevant in a rapidly changing geopolitical, economic, and technologically charged landscape, we have to accept ground realities and clearly articulate our long-term interests and aspirations. After several decades of hiatus, India has formally declared its intent and ambitions with regard to technology strategy and investments with particular emphasis on AI, Quantum, Cybersecurity, and semi-conductor manufacturing. Today, our policy frameworks and execution mechanisms revolve around developing our own ecosystems which are focused on reducing or eliminating our dependence on foreign technologies, developing local supply chains, and transforming India into a product nation.
Balancing investments among various national priorities and even technological choices to secure both economic growth and national security is not an easy task. National security is a key concern in a volatile geopolitical scenario, so to my mind cybersecurity should be the top most priority; close behind is AI as it offers great opportunity for us as we fight for enhancing productivity and competitiveness across sectors; quantum computing is a long game and investments should be commensurate with our aspirations and desire to attain a dominant position in niche areas.
It is a widely held misconception that the size and scale of investments in monetary terms determines their success or failures to meet objectives. Therefore, at the outset comparing our investments with those being made by countries like the US and China is not a good indicator of either our intent or progress made. India is known for frugal engineering and examples of these are our success in space tech, defence production, pharmaceuticals, and our ability to build secure financial systems. All these have been achieved at a fraction of the cost when compared to global leaders.
MS: What role will international technology partnerships (e.g., iCET with the US) play in strengthening India’s global competitiveness in AI, quantum, and cybersecurity sectors in the next 5 years, in your vision?
Prof Singh: Technology partnerships operate at two levels, firstly government-to-government(G2G) and secondly private sector collaborations. Both play a crucial role in accelerating innovation and strengthening digital ecosystems. At the G2G level they enable knowledge sharing, joint research, as well as coordinated policy and legal frameworks that reduce fragmentation and enhance global resilience. Specialized areas like cybersecurity, and emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing need a broader view on public policy such as prevention of cross border cybercrime, protection of IP against the onslaught of Generative AI and protection of encrypted sensitive data against quantum threats. Private investments and partnerships too complement this by driving commercialization, as well as bridging the gap between research and market adoption. Foreign venture capital along with international corporate alliances, and public-private partnerships fuel startups, infrastructure projects, and advanced R&D, enabling indigenous technology development and economic growth.
Government-to-government collaborations in cybersecurity and AI, such as US–India cyber cooperation and the EU–US Trade and Technology Council, reinforce standards, resilience, and ethical governance. Complementing this, private investments like IBM and Microsoft’s projects in Andhra Pradesh’s Quantum Valley in building advanced quantum computing facilities to accelerate innovation, talent development all help in positioning India as a global hub for emerging technologies.
Looking ahead into the future, these partnerships will be more calibrated and will ensure that India stands to gain a share of the product-pie and not remain a big player in the services market.
MS: In what ways are AI and quantum technologies likely to reshape India’s industrial landscape and job market over the next decade? What socio-economic opportunities and disruptions should policymakers anticipate?
Prof Singh: Both AI and quantum are disruptive technologies. Unlike other technologies, organisations have no choice but bear the brunt of their full force. They cannot ignore the adoption of AI as not realizing productivity gains that it offers will render them un-competitive going forward, while quantum technology is evolving rapidly to enable solving complex problems in the areas of forecasting, optimization and simulation previously thought unsolvable. The convergence of AI and Quantum in the form of quantum machine learning, hybrid architectures, and accelerated training opens new frontiers. Yet, both fields carry risks: quantum threatens current cryptographic systems, while AI raises concerns of bias, explainability, and misuse through deepfakes and adversarial attacks. We have now reached an inflection point where a new approach to cybersecurity needs to be adopted.
AI, quantum, and cybersecurity technologies will affect job markets differently in the short and long term. In the short term, AI will drive rapid automation, displace traditional job functions but start creating demand for data scientists and cybersecurity analysts. Quantum computing initially faces an acute talent shortage required for deep research and specialized engineering jobs. Cybersecurity sees immediate growth as threats escalate even though AI based tools are increasingly being used to deal with routine threat vectors such as phishing and malware. However, more specialized skills are required to deal with complex threats such as AI enabled ransomware, advanced persistent threats, and post quantum cryptography migration. So here reorientation and reskilling both are required.
In the longer term, AI will continue to reshape entire industries, requiring reskilling across sectors; quantum will unlock new fields in drug discovery, finance, and logistics, creating high-value roles; and cybersecurity will become embedded in every profession, making digital risk management a universal skill.
MS: How can India ensure that frontier tech commercialization benefits SMEs and startups, instead of being dominated by a handful of big players?
Prof Singh: This is indeed one of the most challenging and daunting tasks that we face. To enable an SME or a startup to face the competitive might of large multinationals and also large domestic players, the government has designed a unique framework with SMEs and startups in mind. The United Deep Tech Framework (UDTF) recognizes the real hurdles they face, especially the lack of patient capital and the struggle to survive the “valley of death” between prototype and commercialization. Instead of leaving young ventures to fend for themselves, UDTF provides structured support. For example, it democratizes access to computing infrastructure such as cloud, GPUs, and even quantum simulators at subsidized rates, so startups do not burn cash just to experiment. On the funding side, UDTF introduces innovative mechanisms that go beyond traditional venture capital. These include blended finance models that mix concessional debt with equity infusion, convertible debt instruments that align repayment with growth, equity participation funds that co-invest alongside private VCs, credit guarantee schemes to encourage banks to lend, and outcome-linked financing tied to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) milestones. In short, UDTF acts as both a safety net and a launchpad which helps startups access affordable infrastructure, bridging funding gaps, and ensuring that promising ideas do not stall before reaching the market.
MS: Initiatives like IBM’s plan to skill 5 million Indians in AI, cybersecurity, and quantum by 2030. How can India close the talent gap and retain domestic expertise rather than lose it abroad?
Prof Singh: For me initiatives like this are just a starting point, probably a little more than a statement of intent. Assuming that IBMs plan is successful, it is just not enough. Of course there will be other global players and larger Indian tech companies who will also implement such initiatives, but it is just not enough to enable widespread tech adoption, job creation, and economic growth that we are aspiring to attain. There are two important players who must join and lead this skill transformation bandwagon. Firstly, the leadership across corporate India needs to be made aware of the promise and perils of not becoming a part of this post AI and quantum world so that they undertake their own reskilling programs, and secondly every college-engineering and non-engineering need to include AI, Quantum and Cybersecurity in their curriculum immediately so that at least students graduating post 2027-28 are ready to face challenges in the modern world and get absorbed in mainstream industry jobs. To my mind, there are three things required to reverse or stem brain drain- (a) create world-class research and innovation hubs domestically, (b) empower local talent with global exposure while anchoring opportunities at home and (c) provide patient capital, fellowships, and infrastructure to make staying rewarding.
Here again it must be mentioned that the Unified Deep Tech Framework aims to build robust talent pipelines and reverse brain drain to cultivate domestic expertise while attracting international collaboration. The Government has also recently set up the Indian AI Research Organization (AIIRO) at Gandhinagar which will serve as India’s sovereign AI hub to accelerate deep tech. It will build a talent pipeline, create infrastructure, and partnerships to bridge advanced research with real-world commercialization in critical sectors like healthcare, energy, climate, and education.
I think post the rapid adoption of AI by industry and even in our daily lives indicates that a complete overhaul of our education approach is overdue. We need to develop an “Understanding First” approach as opposed to our traditional ‘Knowledge First” approach. Let me explain. AI’s rapid adoption has fundamentally changed the value of “knowledge” in education. With information now available instantly through AI systems, search engines, and mobile devices, the traditional “Knowledge First” approach where students memorize facts and reproduce them feels outdated. What is missing is the ability to transform that knowledge into deep understanding.
An “Understanding First” approach would prioritize critical thinking, conceptual clarity, and the ability to connect theories with real-world applications. Instead of asking students to recall definitions, educators would guide them to explore why a concept works, how it applies across contexts, and what its limitations are. For example, rather than memorizing algorithms, students would learn to question their assumptions, analyze, and interpret outputs, and evaluate legal and ethical implications.
Skills like AI and Cybersecurity must be considered as fundamental horizontal skills and must become a part of every single diploma and degree course without which today a student is never fully prepared for what professional life holds. Industry will only be too happy to have a steady supply of people who have specialized in their respective fields but also carry with them basic expertise required in AI and Cybersecurity. At a later date, quantum too may need to be added as the situation unfolds.
MS: As quantum computing threatens traditional encryption and cyber risks accelerate, how should India recalibrate its cybersecurity strategy to protect both public infrastructure and private data?
Prof Singh: Organisations today face an ever-expanding range of cyber threats, with attack surfaces and vectors growing rapidly. Cyber risk has become a major business risk, capable of stalling operations, crippling finances, damaging reputations, and triggering lawsuits or media trials. Already overwhelmed by existing threats, many organisations struggle to prioritize emerging risks such as quantum threats to encryption. Risk evaluation typically considers two dimensions: the impact of a threat and the likelihood of its occurrence. Quantum threats score extremely high on impact, but their timing remains uncertain, fuelling debate about when they might materialize.
To understand this, we can compare it with Y2K, once considered the biggest cyber risk of its time. Y2K had a fixed deadline-midnight on 31st December 1999, allowing organisations to prepare with patches, upgrades, and contingency plans. Q-Day, however, refers to the moment when quantum computers can break widely used encryption systems like RSA or ECC, and it has no definite date. Progress depends on breakthroughs in hardware, error correction, and scaling qubits. It could arrive in two to three years, five years, or longer. This uncertainty makes Q-Day more complex and unsettling. Governments, businesses, and critical infrastructure must begin migrating to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) now, without waiting for a deadline. PQC migration is not a technical upgrade, it involves identification of all cryptographic IT assets and systematically migrating them through the use of quantum secure algorithms. This in itself could be a multi-year process for large organisations and it is an absolute must for all national critical infrastructure to plan and initiate PQC migration.
MS: What socio-economic costs could result if India fails to implement broad post-quantum cryptography standards and AI-resilient cybersecurity frameworks?
Prof. Singh: If a quantum computer broke modern encryption, the global economic impact could run into trillions of dollars, dwarfing past cyber crises like Y2K. Financial systems, healthcare, defence, and digital commerce would all be exposed simultaneously, making it one of the most catastrophic technology risks in history. While the monetary loss from broken encryption is difficult to estimate for India or for any country, the socio-economic costs would be immense. Trust in digital systems such as online banking, e-commerce, and government services would collapse, slowing digital adoption and weakening confidence in institutions. National security could be compromised as defence communications and sensitive intelligence become vulnerable. Social instability could rise through identity theft, fraud, and misinformation, leading to unrest and loss of public confidence. Smaller businesses and startups would be hardest hit as they cannot afford rapid migration to post-quantum cryptography. In essence, the socio-economic fallout of Q-Day would extend far beyond financial losses, reshaping trust, stability, and resilience across society.
MS: How can India ensure that the benefits of AI and quantum technology are equitably distributed - addressing urban-rural divides, gender gaps, and access for marginalised communities?
Prof. Singh: This is not just an India specific problem; it is a global problem. Advanced technologies are deepening the technology divide around the world. In my recent book Cyber Storm: Unleashing the Power of Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence, I have dedicated two full chapters to this question which I believe has two parts. One, the global race to realize big benefits by quickly harnessing the power of these technologies and two, to leverage them for geopolitical leverage and domination. It is the latter that will ensure that existing digital divides deepen to an extent where technology becomes a weapon of domination.
Within India, we have to deal only with technological exclusion. As of 2025, about 400 million women in India have access to the internet, but the gender gap remains stark: only around 54% of women are online compared to nearly 70% of men. This shows the level of exclusion, and the persistent barriers women face in connectivity, affordability, and digital literacy. Fortunately, I believe that this is a problem that the government can and will fix with targeted schemes. Another problem is the North–South divide within India itself, where metropolitan hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai lead in advanced infrastructure and innovation, while smaller towns and states lag in adoption. Bridging these divides requires sustained investment in broadband, 5G, and satellite networks, affordable access through subsidies and community Wi-Fi, and localized content in Indian languages.
MS: What ethical yet PRACTICALLY POSSIBLE safeguards should India adopt now for across 5 years?
Prof. Singh: India rightly prides itself on the high moral standards of its citizens, and yet, with the advent of the proliferation of digital technologies and mobile penetration ethical standards have been eroded and are giving way to commercial considerations. All stakeholders need to take actions to make ethical standards like trust, accountability, and fairness a priority as these systems become deeply embedded in society. Businesses could adopt safeguards such as transparency in how algorithms make decisions, implement governance frameworks to prevent misuse, and put in place mechanisms to audit bias and discrimination. The DPDP Act has been a long while coming, but rather than waiting for it privacy protection must be prioritized as an ethical consideration, with strict controls on data collection and usage. Equally important is to fix accountability especially in sensitive areas like finance, and law enforcement.
When we talk about ethical safeguards for AI, to me three areas stand out as particularly urgent: AI-driven electronic surveillance, intellectual property (IP) protection, and misinformation. Each requires clear standards to prevent misuse and preserve trust. Legal frameworks in the form of and Indian AI Governance law are still in the making. Until then, the simplest and most practical solution is that digital citizens must be bound by an unwritten ethical code that they would not do in the digital world what they would not do in the physical world.
About Prof. Ajay Singh
Prof. Ajay Singh is a distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a cybersecurity expert. is a former CEO of an award-winning fintech firm. He has been a Visiting Professor at several leading management institutes since 2019 and is currently a Professor of Practice at Rizvi Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai. He has authored multiple books and serves as a mentor, professor and advisor globally. He holds key roles in academic and industry cybersecurity committees, shaping AI, Quantum Computing and security policies. His latest book - Cyber Storm: Unleashing the Power of Quantum Computing and AI has been recently published by Universities Press, Orient BlackSwan.
About the Interviewer
Mahima Sharma is an Independent Senior Journalist based in Delhi NCR with a career spanning TV, Print, and Online Journalism since 2005. She has played key roles at several media houses including roles at CNN-News18, ANI, Voice of India, and Hindustan Times.
Founder & Editor of The Think Pot, she is also a recipient of the REX Karmaveer Chakra (Gold & Silver) by iCONGO in association with the United Nations. Since March 2022, she has served as an Entrepreneurship Education Mentor at Women Will, a Google-backed program in collaboration with SHEROES. Mahima can be reached at media@indiastat.com
Disclaimer : The facts & statistics, the work profile details of the protagonist and the opinions appearing in the answers do not reflect the views of Indiastat or the Journalist. Indiastat or the Journalist do not hold any responsibility or liability for the same.
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