The DRDO has signed a deep tech project agreement with Alwar based Start-up, Zero mK India Private Limited, to  indigenously develop a 20 mK Dilution Refrigerator for Quantum Applications, the Defence Ministry said.

The agreement, executed under the Defence Research and Development Organisation Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme, marks the first major project funded by the ₹500-crore deep-tech corpus recently approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for cutting-edge technological advancements.

Dilution refrigerators are specialised cryogenic systems capable of achieving extremely low temperatures in the millikelvin range. Such ultra-low-temperature environment is essential for the operation and testing of several quantum computing platforms and associated quantum technologies, it said. 

The indigenous development of 20 mK-class dilution refrigerator aligns with the National Quantum Mission and strengthens India’s capabilities in quantum technology, advanced cryogenics and strategic technologies, contributing towards a self-reliant, quantum-ready ecosystem.  

This joint collaboration is an important step towards reducing dependence on imported cryogenic infrastructure and strengthening the domestic quantum technology ecosystem. 

The Defence Minister has complimented DRDO, industry and all stakeholders associated with the project and expressed confidence that the partnership will set an important precedent for future DRDO-Industry collaborations in emerging technology domains.

Congratulating the teams associated with the initiative, Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh wished them success in achieving the project objectives.

Director General, Micro Electronic Devices & Computational System and Cyber Security (DG MCC); Director General, Technology Management (DG TM); Director, Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), and other stakeholders were present on the occasion.