PM Modi meets Nobel laureate Anton Zeilinger, discusses quantum tech, spirituality

Vienna, July 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Austrian Nobel physics laureate Anton Zeilinger and explored the possibilities around quantum technologies, along with a discussion over spirituality.

After meeting PM Modi, the Austrian scientist said he experienced that PM Modi is a very spiritual person.

"I think this is the feature that many leaders in the world should have today," said Zeilinger.

"We discussed the possibilities of Quantum Information and Quantum technologies, and also spirituality," he added. Zeilinger is a Professor of Physics Emeritus at the University of Vienna and a senior scientist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

In October 2022, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics, jointly with Alain Aspect and John Clauser for their work involving experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities, and pioneering quantum information science.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held talks with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and said a blueprint for cooperation over the coming decades has been prepared, including artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum technology. India has produced over 40 quantum technology startups in two years, a few of them with global potential. India is currently on an equal pedestal with other nations in terms of quantum technologies.