Insider Brief
- Andhra Pradesh government announced India’s first quantum reference facility at Amaravati Quantum Valley with an outlay of ₹40 crore to support domestic quantum computer manufacturing.
- The facility will provide testing, benchmarking, and characterization of quantum components, reducing reliance on imports and aligning with the National Quantum Mission.
- Amber Enterprises India Limited also announced an investment of ₹200 crore to set up a quantum cryogenic components facility.
- Image: Photo by Still Pixels on Pexels
Indian businesses and policymakers are moving to make Amaravati, a planned city in Andhra Pradesh, both the cradle of the nation’s quantum ecosystem and a potential linchpin in global quantum development, according to two announcements last week
First, the Andhra Pradesh government announced that the Amaravati Quantum Valley project will host a ₹40 crore — about $4.5 million U.S. — reference facility, which is designed to provide testing, benchmarking and characterization of quantum components. Such functions are critical for verifying that quantum hardware works as intended, a step India has lacked until now. According to Press Trust of India (PTI), officials said the move could reduce the country’s reliance on imported quantum technology and align state priorities with the central government’s National Quantum Mission.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who chaired a meeting with startups, academic groups, research organizations and global partners, called the project a milestone. The facility could lay the foundation for indigenous manufacturing of quantum computers from Amaravati, Naidu said, according to PTI.
“Amaravati Quantum Valley will not just be a hub of research but the birthplace of India’s indigenous quantum computer ecosystem,” said Naidu, in a statement, according to the Deccan Chronicle. “With these pioneering partnerships, Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself at the forefront of the global quantum revolution.”
The National Quantum Mission and the Department of Science and Technology are backing the project with policy and programmatic support. Global tech heavyweight IBM and India’s Tata Consultancy Services will serve as strategic anchors, PTI reported. Both firms are already active in quantum computing collaborations worldwide and could provide Amaravati with technical expertise and pathways to global supply chains.
Cryogenic Facility
In a separate, but related announcement, Jasbir Singh, Chairman and CEO of Amber Enterprises India Limited, revealed an investment of ₹200 crore — about $23 million U.S. — to set up a quantum cryogenic components facility in the Amaravati Quantum Valley, according to Business Line.
“This proposed project will play a crucial role in strengthening India’s indigenous quantum hardware ecosystem by facilitating the development of advanced cryogenic solutions,” said Singh, according to Business Line. “This technology is essential for superconducting quantum computers. This project is a big step forward in India’s journey to build a quantum computing ecosystem.”
Reducing Dependence
Industry observers suggest the establishment of these facilities signals a growing shift in India’s approach to emerging technology and further emphasizes the nation’s desire to have a sovereign quantum industry. Benchmarking and characterization facilities, for example, act as the yardstick for progress. They allow researchers to determine if quantum chips, processors and associated hardware meet required tolerances. Without such infrastructure, India’s quantum startups and laboratories must depend on foreign vendors, slowing the development of a domestic ecosystem.
By placing the facility at Amaravati Quantum Valley, the state government is positioning the region as a hub for advanced technology. The effort also reflects Naidu’s long-term push to brand Amaravati as a science and innovation corridor.
Quantum computing remains at an early stage, with companies and research institutions still working on practical large-scale systems. But countries including the U.S., China and members of the European Union have poured billions into building domestic capabilities. India’s National Quantum Mission, launched in 2023 with an estimated budget of ₹6,000 crore over eight years, set a similar trajectory.