Karnataka is looking beyond Bengaluru traditional technology strengths as it prepares to build a proposed Quantum City near the state capital. The government has invited global technology companies, startups, investors and researchers to participate in the project from its early stages.
The proposed development is intended to bring research, startups, hardware manufacturing and industry collaboration into one ecosystem. The state wants companies to contribute technologies, ideas and partnerships rather than enter only after the infrastructure is ready.
The plan forms part of Karnataka wider effort to establish Bengaluru as a base for emerging technologies. Along with quantum technology, the state is looking at areas including artificial intelligence, SpaceTech, DroneTech and geospatial technology.
Bengaluru Quantum City
The state announced the Rs 1,000 crore Karnataka Quantum Mission in 2025. Under the plan, an integrated quantum technology hub is proposed near Bengaluru, with the government later sanctioning 6.17 acres at Hesaraghatta for the Quantum City project.
The planned site is expected to include advanced laboratories, startup incubation facilities and innovation centres. It will also provide infrastructure for quantum hardware and processor manufacturing, along with research and development activities.
Karnataka has set a long-term target of building a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035. Achieving that goal would require participation from private companies, research institutions and investors, making industry involvement an important part of the proposed project.
Bengaluru Research Base
Bengaluru already has a strong research ecosystem that could support the proposed Quantum City. The Indian Institute of Science is among the national hubs working under the Centre government National Quantum Mission.
A quantum computing fabrication facility has also been established at IISc to support work on quantum computing chips. This existing research base gives Karnataka a foundation on which it can build a larger commercial and industrial ecosystem around the technology.
At the national level, the National Quantum Mission has an outlay of Rs 6,003.65 crore over eight years. Its scope covers quantum computing, quantum communication, sensing and metrology, as well as quantum materials and devices.
State Targets Deeptech Growth
Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology Minister Ajay Dharam Singh said Karnataka wants companies to be able to develop, test, manufacture and scale technology within the state. He made the remarks at a high-level roundtable on Space, Mobility and Drones in Bengaluru.
The government wants to use Bengaluru existing capabilities in information technology and aerospace while building new strengths in emerging technology sectors. The proposed Quantum City is expected to form one part of this larger deeptech strategy.
For Karnataka, attracting firms at the development stage could help connect research with commercial applications. It could also give startups access to laboratories, investors, industrial partners and specialised infrastructure that may otherwise be difficult to develop separately.
Karnataka Space Push
The state is pursuing a similar strategy in the space sector through the Karnataka Space Technology Policy 2025-30. The policy sets an objective of capturing 50% of India space market and 5% of the global market by 2033.
Karnataka also aims to attract $3 billion in cumulative investment and train 50,000 professionals under the policy. Infrastructure support, investment incentives and skill development measures are planned to increase participation from startups and small and medium enterprises.
The approach shows that the state is trying to build connected technology ecosystems rather than focus only on individual companies or projects. Quantum technology, space, drones and AI are being positioned as areas where Bengaluru can use its existing engineering and research base.
Technology Supports Public Services
Singh also called for greater use of emerging technologies in government operations. He highlighted satellite imagery, drones, geographic information systems, remote sensing and artificial intelligence for practical applications.
These technologies could support groundwater management, mapping and monitoring of tanks and lakes, irrigation asset management and tracking of government projects. The focus indicates that Karnataka wants deeptech adoption to extend beyond private industry.
The proposed Quantum City is still at the development stage, and its eventual impact will depend on how effectively the state attracts researchers, technology firms and long-term capital.
For now, the government is seeking early industry participation as it attempts to turn Bengaluru into a larger centre for quantum research, manufacturing and commercial applications.
