TCS, IBM join hands to deploy India’s largest quantum computer in Andhra Pradesh

Leading IT companies IBM and TCS have collaborated with Andhra Pradesh government to deploy India’s largest quantum computer in Amaravati’s Quantum Valley Tech Park, a statement shared by TCS said on May 3.

The tech park will host an IBM Quantum System Two installation, carrying a 156-qubit Heron quantum processor, making it the largest quantum computer in India. TCS said it is partnering with IBM to help development algorithms and applications for industry and academia, enabling them to solve complex challenges.

The project is expected to accelerate the development of India’s quantum ecosystem, said TCS, with an ambition to make India a global hub in the quantum industry. Andhra Pradesh's dedicated Quantum Valley is being pitched as a first in the world.

"With quantum computing poised to transform every major sector in the next 25 years, the state aims to be a first mover in harnessing this emerging frontier," N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh said. The state is hoping to create high-end jobs and attract talent, as well as draw global investments through this effort.

IBM Quantum's vice chairman Jay Gambetta said the initiative is a step towards building India's quantum advantage. "Our collaboration with TCS will help attract the country’s thriving ecosystem of developers, scientists, and industry experts to develop algorithms and applications," Gambatta said.

Members of the Quantum Valley Tech Park can collaborate with TCS to seek access to IBM’s cloud-based quantum computers.

"We’re excited to be partnering with IBM, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh at the Quantum Valley Tech Park and support India’s National Quantum Mission to accelerate the development of quantum algorithms and applications that solve complex intractable problems and drive both economic growth and technological innovation," Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Consultancy Services said.Heron is a 156-qubit quantum processor by IBM and is the highest performance quantum processor that it has ever built. A large-scale quantum computer could theoretically solve computational problems not solvable in a reasonable timeframe by a classical computer.