IBM, TCS team up to deploy India’s largest quantum computer

IBM and Indian IT services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) are partnering to further develop India’s quantum computing industry as part of the state of Andhra Pradesh’s Quantum Valley Tech Park, currently being built in the upcoming capital city of Amaravati. 

IBM and the Andhra Pradesh government have entered into discussions that aim for the tech park to be anchored by an IBM Quantum System Two installation, with a 156-qubit Heron quantum processor, which would be the largest quantum computer in India as currently envisioned, according to a media release.

TCS is also partnering with IBM to support the development of algorithms and applications that will help the Indian industry and academia solve some of the nation’s most challenging problems. In that regard, TCS and IBM recently signed an agreement that will make cloud access to IBM’s cloud-based quantum computers available to scientists and technologists in the region. The Government of Andhra Pradesh, IBM and TCS hope to accelerate the development of India’s quantum ecosystem through this initiative, the media release said.

“Our National Quantum Mission is to make India a global hub in the quantum industry, a true center of innovation and job creation with access to the technology capable of solving some of our country’s and the world’s most pressing and complex challenges,” said N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. “With IBM, TCS, L&T, and other members, the Quantum Valley Technology Park represents how India’s industry and academia will soon be able to take an important step forward in accelerating the achievement of the mission’s goals.”

“We are excited about our plans with the state of Andhra Pradesh to deploy our latest IBM Quantum System Two at the Quantum Valley Tech Park,” said Jay Gambetta, Vice President, IBM Quantum. “Our collaboration with TCS will help attract the country’s thriving ecosystem of developers, scientists, and industry experts to develop algorithms and applications. Combining this with India’s National Quantum Mission we could see an acceleration of the next critical milestone — a successful demonstration of quantum advantage.”

“TCS’s Hybrid Computing strategy is creating what we believe is a breakthrough software layer that intelligently decomposes programs across current systems — CPUs, GPUs and emerging computing architectures — such as quantum,” said Dr. Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Consultancy Services. “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.”