Japan’s Quantum Drone Plan Targets China's Submarines, Undersea Arms Race On Indian Ocean Heats Up

Japan is developing small drones fitted with quantum magnetic sensors to detect submerged submarines. The immediate concern is China’s expanding underwater presence. The Pentagon projects that China’s submarine fleet could reach 80 boats by 2035. That makes this more than a Japan story. Chinese submarines have already operated beyond the South China Sea, raising serious questions for India’s maritime security. India is working on its own layered surveillance architecture, including seabed sensors, sonar systems, airborne magnetic detectors and a reported fibre-optic sensor network linked to Kochi. The technology is still developing. Quantum sensors are not magic weapons. They have range and interference limits. But connected across drones, aircraft, ships and seabed systems, they could change submarine warfare. Shreya Chandra explains Japan’s plan, China’s undersea expansion and why India must build stronger underwater eyes across the Indian Ocean.