Government Regulation of Quantum Technologies: A Global Snapshot

Quantum policy is being written in real time across multiple jurisdictions, and while approaches differ, a handful of common threads are emerging that matter to any organisation operating across borders.

India

India's National Quantum Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet with a multi-year outlay running to 2031, funds research through four thematic hubs covering computing, communication, sensing and materials, and has been expanding support to quantum startups. Separately, national guidance directed at critical information infrastructure sectors has begun setting staged expectations for post-quantum cryptography adoption, signalling that India's quantum policy is moving from pure research funding toward operational security mandates.

United States

The US approach has combined standards-setting — with national standards bodies finalising post-quantum cryptographic algorithms for federal use — with executive direction requiring federal agencies to inventory cryptographic systems and plan migrations, alongside continued export control attention to quantum hardware and enabling technologies under existing dual-use frameworks.

European Union

The EU has pursued quantum policy through a mix of research funding (coordinated across member states) and its broader regulatory architecture — data protection, cybersecurity and dual-use export control rules already in force are being interpreted and extended to quantum-specific risk, rather than being replaced by a wholly new quantum-specific statute in most areas so far.

China and the broader picture

China has made large, sustained state investment in quantum research a strategic priority, particularly in quantum communication infrastructure, contributing to the broader dynamic of quantum technology being treated by multiple governments as a strategic, national-security-adjacent capability rather than a purely commercial one.

The convergence that matters for business

Despite different regulatory styles, most major jurisdictions are converging on the same practical expectations: inventory your cryptographic exposure, plan a phased migration to quantum-resistant standards, and expect quantum hardware and certain software to draw export control scrutiny. An organisation building a compliance programme around those three pillars will be reasonably well positioned regardless of which jurisdiction's specific rules apply to it.