Emerging technologies are revolutionizing the world and transforming every aspect of life and society. In this regard, artificial intelligence currently has the spotlight, with each generational update delivering exponentially better results and features. Yet, advancement in another technological realm is poised to redefine economic power, national security, and scientific discovery on a scale comparable to the dawn of the digital age. Quantum technology, which harnesses the principles of quantum mechanics like superposition and entanglement to unlock computational power, can solve problems that are currently intractable for even the most powerful supercomputers across the world.
Unsurprisingly, a fierce global race has commenced wherein nations like the United States, China, and the European Union have committed tens of billions of dollars to secure a first-mover advantage. For example, China in August 2016 launched “Micius,” the world’s first quantum satellite that showcased the potential for unhackable, space-based communication networks. 1
Recognizing the strategic imperative to compete, the Government of India approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) in April 2023 to seed, nurture, and scale a domestic quantum ecosystem. 2 This eight-year initiative, planned to run from 2023 to 2031, has a total budget of ₹6,003.65 crore, or approximately $740 million. 3 Under the NQM, four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) have been established that are designed to be national centers of excellence. Each hub leads one of the four core domains, namely Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology, and Quantum Materials & Devices. 4 Institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in Madras, Bombay, and Delhi have been tasked with consolidating expertise, driving innovation, and nurturing the broader ecosystem. 5
While the NQM provides a national framework, the state of Andhra Pradesh is set to launch an initiative of unprecedented scale and ambition on January 01, 2026: the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV). The driving force behind this venture is the personal vision and engagement of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who has framed the AQV as the defining technological sequel to Hyderabad’s Hitech City, which had catalyzed the city’s transformation into a global IT hub in the 1990s. 6 With the goal of transforming Amaravati into a global capital for quantum technologies, the state government has forged an understanding with three industry giants – IBM, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) – to build a full-stack quantum ecosystem from the ground up. 7 Under the public-private partnership, IBM will install its state-of-the-art Quantum System Two – featuring a 156-qubit ‘Heron’ processor, it will be the most powerful quantum computer in India and the first of its kind in South Asia – at the AQV. 8 TCS, on the other hand, is to develop the software layer, algorithms, and real-world applications that will make the quantum hardware useful, while L&T is tasked with building the entire Quantum Valley Tech Park – a dedicated 50-acre campus in Amaravati that will house the quantum computers, research labs, and innovation centers. 9
Adding substance to the AQV and Andhra Pradesh’s quantum vision, the state hosted the Amaravati Quantum Valley National Workshop in June 2025 during which the “Amaravati Quantum Declaration” was unveiled. 10 This declaration provides a detailed blueprint with aggressive targets across multiple pillars, thereby setting the AQV apart as a well-structured and ambitious undertaking. The pillars introduced include Infrastructure – targeting the installation of IBM’s Quantum System Two and establishing “QChipIN,” which is to be India’s largest open quantum testbed, by mid-2026 R&D & Application – aiming to develop the capability to test 100 new quantum algorithms, test over 1,000 new quantum algorithms annually, and generate 100 quantum use-cases for industry and governance. Talent Development – intending to launch the Amaravati Quantum Academy for specialized training, train 200 specialists in its first year and scale up to 5,000 annually, and empower 20 universities in Andhra Pradesh and 100 across India with quantum curricular Startup Ecosystem – detailing the creation of a National Startup Forum with a dedicated ₹1,000 crore Quantum Fund, and supporting at least 20 quantum hardware and security startups Investment – attracting quantum technology investments to the tune of $500 million (₹4,285 crore) by January 2027 and $1 billion (₹8,571 crore) by January 2029. Economic Impact – achieving an annual domestic production and export of quantum hardware valued at ₹5,000 crore ($584.78 million) by 2030, and creating over 100,000 high-paying jobs by 2026 and Global Collaboration – establishing a Global Quantum Collaboration Council (GQCC) in Amaravati and convening the annual “World Quantum Expo” starting 2026. 11
The AQV’s most important long-term investment may be in developing and training human resources. To build a quantum-ready workforce, two parallel tracks are being developed. The first is aimed at mass-skilling wherein all state universities have been directed to introduce quantum computing into their curricula. Andhra University, for example, is holding workshops with national experts to design the syllabus and train its faculty, aiming to launch both major and minor degree programs in quantum computing from the 2025-26 academic year. 12 This statewide mandate targets the creation of a large pool of engineers and scientists with foundational quantum literacy and ultimately feeding the workforce needed for a burgeoning quantum industry. The second track focuses on elite specialization through initiatives like the Amaravati Quantum Academy, which is slated to launch in 2025-26 and will offer integrated PhD fellowships and advanced certifications to train the top-tier researchers and specialists who will lead the R&D efforts. 13 Initiatives at other institutions within the state, such as research in quantum cryptography and secure multiparty computation at the Indian Institute of Information
Technology (IIIT) Sri City, SRM University’s Master of Science program with a specialization in Quantum Technology, and SRM Institute of Science & Technology Tiruchirappalli’s “Quantum Computing Honours Track” for its undergraduate engineering students, will complement the effort. 14
Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious push does not exist in a vacuum. Other Indian states, such as Karnataka and Telangana, are making significant plays in the quantum domain as well. For example, the Karnataka state government has partnered with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to establish a Quantum Research Park on the Bengaluru campus which will provide shared access to R&D infrastructure, workforce training, and startup support to advance quantum computing and sensing applications. 15 Meanwhile, Telangana has teamed up with Switzerland’s Quantum Basel to set up a Quantum Hub in Hyderabad, offering startup mentorship, promoting academia-industry collaboration, and advancing research in quantum technology. 16
Clearly, the AQV is the boldest test case for how India can tackle the challenges of deep-technology development in the 21st century. Still, even as the project’s tight timelines and bet on talent and skill development provide coherence and substance, they also present risks that need to be carefully navigated to achieve success. For instance, the partnership between the state government and industry requires active, large-scale coordination among stakeholders wherein each delivers on time and efficiently within their area of responsibility. Additionally, as the talent and skilling pipeline envisioned will take years to mature, AQV’s execution should focus on a scaling-up approach where the potential short-term skills bottleneck does not slow progress. As in any well-executed plan, success will depend less on serendipity and more on agile, relentless, and flawless project management.
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