New Delhi: Delegates from India and Finland on Wednesday discussed possible areas of cooperation in quantum computing and a roadmap for the collaborative virtual Centre of Excellence (CoE) that has been planned to be set up. "The two countries are trying to get academic and industrial partners which can help develop quantum science and technology for the betterment of humankind in particular and the planet in general. "We are committed towards global excellence in this field to achieve the best possible technologies in the shortest possible time," Dr. S Chandrasekhar, Secretary at the Department of Science and Technology (DST) said.
The meeting was held a day after the signing of the joint declaration for setting up the Indo-Finnish Virtual Network Centre on Quantum Computing. Chandrasekhar stressed on the need to chalk out the strengths and weaknesses of both countries in this area and to work together towards a plan to overcome those weaknesses by establishing a core group which will drive the initiative. Mr. Petri Peltonen, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Finland, underlined the need to join the best of both the nations, use the scientific ecosystems, the strong IT communities and strengthen them in a way that can facilitate spin-offs.