Global technology major IBM is set to open its quantum computing centre in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, by March 2026, a senior company executive has confirmed. The facility will house the IBM Quantum System Two, which is being set up in partnership with India’s largest IT services exporter TCS.
Scott Crowder, Vice President for Quantum Adoption at IBM, explained that while physical locations are less critical for advanced technologies like cloud computing, local data storage requirements and sovereign needs make centres in the European Union and India strategically important.
IBM has announced nine quantum computing centres worldwide, of which six are operational. These include facilities in the United States, Japan, Canada and South Korea. Apart from Amaravati’s upcoming Quantum Valley Tech Park, new centres are also planned in Spain and Chicago.
Highlighting India’s potential, Crowder said the country shows strong energy in education and skilling for quantum computing but needs to increase focus on application research and algorithm discovery. He stated, “…if you really want to drive economic development, you really need to create these communities of people who are doing the algorithm application research because that is probably where the software startups of the future are going to be coming from. People can make lots of money on that.”
He added that while quantum hardware requires massive investment, innovation on the software and applications side is both possible and essential. “The right balance is to invest adequately in infrastructure while focusing more on software and applications. Do it rationally rather than emotionally,” Crowder noted.
IBM’s Amaravati facility will feature a 156-qubit Heron quantum processor, which will be made available to scientists and technologists across India. Crowder said having such a facility within the country helps generate excitement and builds stronger community engagement.
He also pointed out that India ranks second only to the United States in the number of quantum computing learners enrolled with IBM. Increased funding for deeper research, he said, can help nurture startups capable of commercialising quantum technologies.
In April this year, Bengaluru-based startup QpiAI launched what was described as India’s first full-stack quantum computer with a 25-qubit capacity.
According to Crowder, quantum computing holds promise across multiple fields, including healthcare and financial services, and India’s growing quantum ecosystem can play a key role in shaping this future.
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