Andhra Pradesh launches India's first quantum reference facility

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launches a quantum reference facility in Amaravati to build a sovereign hardware ecosystem and drive innovation in advanced computing technologies

Andhra Pradesh’s capital, Amaravati, on Tuesday marked India’s formal entry into the era of quantum computing, positioning itself at the centre of the country’s technology ambitions.

 

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched a quantum reference facility aimed at building India’s “first sovereign hardware ecosystem” and accelerating indigenous manufacturing of advanced computing systems. “The launch of the country’s first quantum reference facility marks a major milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in advanced technologies and positions the state as a hub for quantum innovation,” Naidu said while inaugurating the Amaravati Quantum Reference Facilities (AQRF). The initiative includes Amaravati 1S at a private college and Amaravati 1Q at Medha Towers.

 

The facility is part of the broader Quantum Valley project being developed in Amaravati. The Amaravati Quantum Valley, backed by IBM, Tata Consultancy Services, and Larsen & Toubro, is expected to attract investments of about $1 billion by 2029. The state aims to begin producing and exporting quantum computers within two years.

 

Naidu said the quantum hardware testbeds will help test and certify quantum devices. The AQRF will also allow researchers, industry, and students to access and test components such as processors, cryogenic systems, amplifiers, and control electronics.

 

The state-led quantum ecosystem in Amaravati has already drawn interest from investors, industry, and academia, emerging as a potential global talent hub. It has received 134 proposals from 108 institutions for teaching labs, 84 proposals from 55 institutions for algorithm research, 1,127 hackathon ideas from 137 colleges, and 20 startup proposals.

 

Naidu said the initiative coalesces with the Swarna Andhra 2047 road map, which places deep technology at its core. The facility was developed in just eight months.

 

The state also plans to skill around 4.5 million people in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and cybersecurity in collaboration with educational institutions. The AQRF is being executed through a consortium that includes the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and the Defence Research and Development Organisation, among others.

 

The government aims to position Amaravati among the world’s top five quantum hubs with a full-stack ecosystem. Plans include building a quantum supply chain spanning cryogenics, semiconductors, hardware, software, and applications.

 

Parallel efforts are underway to strengthen skills in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, radio frequency engineering, advanced materials, and hardware design. The valley is being developed along the lines of global hubs such as Boston and Munich.

 

Beyond binary

 

Quantum computing is an advanced field of computer science and physics that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to solve complex problems far faster than classical computers. While traditional systems rely on binary logic (0 and 1), quantum computers use qubits which, through superposition and entanglement, can exist in multiple states at once. This allows them to process many possibilities simultaneously, something classical machines cannot match. Quantum technology is expected to reshape sectors such as biomedical research, finance, climate modelling, logistics and supply chains, and materials science.