Introduction: Quantum Security and Peace Studies

Quantum security refers to the use and implications of quantum technologies—such as quantum computing, quantum key distribution (QKD), and quantum sensing—to protect information, communications, and critical infrastructure. It emerges from the “second quantum revolution,” which applies the principles of quantum mechanics to practical technological systems with transformative security implications. Peace studies, by contrast, is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the conditions for sustainable peace, conflict prevention, disarmament, and international cooperation, drawing on international relations theory, ethics, and security studies.

The convergence of quantum security and peace studies has become increasingly salient as quantum technologies reshape global power structures. While these technologies offer new tools for verification, secure communication, and early warning in peacekeeping and arms control, they also introduce destabilizing risks, including cyber insecurity, strategic uncertainty, and technological arms races. From a realist perspective, quantum advances may intensify zero-sum competition among states, exacerbating geopolitical tensions.

Constructivist approaches, however, emphasize the role of norms, institutions, and diplomacy in shaping how quantum technologies are governed and deployed. This analysis examines the dual-use nature of quantum security and its implications for global peace.

Contributions to Peace and Conflict Resolution

Quantum technologies hold significant potential to support peacebuilding, prevention, and trust-building mechanisms.

Advanced sensing and early warning: Quantum sensors promise unprecedented precision in detecting chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, as well as environmental and infrastructural risks. Such capabilities could enhance early warning systems, disaster response, and arms control verification, reinforcing treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). These applications align closely with peace studies’ emphasis on preventive diplomacy and confidence-building measures.

Secure communication through QKD: Quantum key distribution enables theoretically secure communication by allowing the detection of any interception attempt. Its application to diplomatic, financial, and military channels could reduce misperception, limit accidental escalation, and strengthen crisis communication. In peace studies terms, QKD supports transparency and trust, enabling more reliable negotiations and contributing to emerging practices sometimes described as “quantum diplomacy.”

Verification and arms control support:

Quantum computing may assist in modeling complex disarmament and compliance scenarios without revealing sensitive national data, including through techniques resembling zero-knowledge proofs. This could strengthen multilateral verification regimes while respecting sovereignty—an enduring challenge in arms control and disarmament efforts.

Collectively, these developments suggest that quantum technologies could enable more resilient, tamper-resistant systems for peacekeeping operations, humanitarian coordination, and climate monitoring, all of which are central to sustainable peace.

Risks and Challenges to Global Stability

Despite their promise, quantum technologies also pose serious risks to international stability if left unregulated.

Cryptographic disruption and strategic

 instability: Large-scale quantum computers threaten existing public-key cryptography, potentially exposing sensitive government, military, and financial data. The prospect of “harvest now, decrypt later” strategies undermines trust and could incentivize preemptive cyber operations. In contested regions and gray-zone conflicts, such vulnerabilities may heighten escalation risks and destabilize deterrence relationships.

A quantum arms race: Intensifying competition among major powers risks creating a “quantum divide,” in which technologically advanced states gain disproportionate strategic advantages while the Global South becomes increasingly dependent or vulnerable. This dynamic echoes past arms races, fostering securitization, export controls, and technological fragmentation. From a peace studies perspective, such inequality undermines cooperative security and reinforces structural violence within the international system.

Hybrid threats and ethical dilemmas: 

The convergence of quantum technologies with artificial intelligence may amplify surveillance capabilities, autonomous weapons systems, and disinformation campaigns, further blurring the boundary between war and peace. These developments raise profound ethical questions regarding privacy, accountability, and power asymmetries. Constructivist scholars emphasize that the norms governing quantum use are still being formed, making governance choices today particularly consequential.

Without effective oversight, quantum security risks amplifying strategic ambiguity, economic inequality, and hybrid threats, placing additional strain on the post–World War II security architecture.

Geopolitical and Ethical Implications

From a realist standpoint, quantum technologies are likely to intensify strategic competition, encouraging states to prioritize national advantage over collective security and potentially leading to fragmented “quantum blocs.” Major investments by leading powers underscore this trajectory. Constructivist perspectives, however, highlight the possibility of reshaping security norms through shared ethical frameworks, transparency measures, and multilateral cooperation.

For peace studies, this underscores the need to integrate quantum issues into existing disarmament and technology governance agendas, much as has been done with artificial intelligence. Institutions focused on arms control and emerging technologies increasingly argue for lifecycle-based governance approaches that balance military applications with civilian benefits. In the Indo-Pacific context, initiatives incorporating quantum technologies highlight both the risks of escalation and the importance of regional confidence-building mechanisms.

Recommendations and Future Outlook

To ensure quantum security contributes to peace rather than instability, several steps are essential:

International governance frameworks: Establish multilateral norms and agreements for quantum technologies, comparable to arms control regimes in space and cyber domains, with emphasis on transparency, verification, and restraint.

Capacity building and equity: Support global access to quantum-resistant cryptography, education, and technical capacity to prevent deepening technological inequalities.

Ethical integration: Incorporate quantum security into peace studies curricula and policy discourse, prioritizing human security, privacy, and conflict prevention over militarization.

As quantum breakthroughs accelerate toward the end of the decade, proactive diplomacy and inclusive governance will be decisive. Quantum security has the potential either to fracture the international order or to strengthen cooperative peace architectures—the outcome will depend on whether states choose competition or collaboration as their guiding principle.