Published Feb 08, 2026 | 10:42 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 08, 2026 | 10:42 AM
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union MoS Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for the Amaravati Quantum Valley
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for the Amaravati Quantum Valley complex in Uddandarayunipalem. The event also marked the operational launch of the Quantum Innovation Centre, positioning the state’s capital region as the fulcrum for India’s quantum computing thrust.
In an initiative to develop Andhra Pradesh as an Information Technology powerhouse, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday, 7 February, laid the foundation stone for the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) complex in Uddandarayunipalem.
The event also marked the operational launch of the Quantum Innovation Centre, positioning the state’s capital region as the fulcrum for India’s quantum computing thrust.
Singh hailed the initiative as the formal start of India’s quantum journey from Amaravati. He linked the project to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Quantum Mission, backed by a ₹6,000 crore outlay, which aims to help India acquire global leadership.
Quantum computing, he emphasised, promised transformative applications in cybersecurity, healthcare, agriculture, drug discovery, climate modelling, and national security—fields where exponential processing power could solve previously intractable problems.
Chief Minister Naidu announced plans for a fully functional quantum centre in the capital region by December 2026, with two indigenous systems launching as reference facilities at SRM University on 14 April (World Quantum Day). Major industry players — IBM, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) — have committed partnerships to develop India’s first 133-qubit quantum computer centre.
Naidu outlined his ambition to manufacture 85 percent of quantum components locally for global export, shifting the state from technology consumer to producer of high-value hardware and intellectual property.
Spanning 50 acres, AQV will integrate research, innovation, hardware testbeds, quantum cloud access, including India’s first non-IBM quantum cloud, and talent pipelines.
Naidu cited 2.08 lakh students having already registered for IIT Madras quantum courses and IBM’s pledge to train 50 lakh youth nationwide in Quantum AI and cybersecurity, with 10 lakh from Andhra Pradesh. He projected India needing 2.5 lakh quantum professionals by 2030, positioning Andhra Pradesh to capture a significant share through large-scale skilling.
Complementing quantum efforts, Naidu announced an Artificial Intelligence University inauguration later this month alongside AI living labs, space city, drone city, electronics city, med-tech clusters, and semiconductor zones.
These converge at the intersection of AI, quantum, and emerging tech, enabling applications in green hydrogen, agriculture optimisation, secure communications, and more.
An inclusive touch was the use of BHASHINI AI-driven translation tools for real-time Telugu rendering of speeches, broadening access to farmers, students, and local stakeholders.
However, it is easier said than done to translate ambitious timelines into tangible outcomes, converting talent training into high-skill jobs and fostering Intellectual Property (IP) creation amid global competition, where quantum hardware remains dominated by a few players like the US and China.
If expectations come true, the AQV could diversify the state’s portfolio beyond services, creating future-ready employment, attracting investment, and elevating Andhra Pradesh — and India — into the top tier of quantum innovation hubs.
As Naidu had aptly noted, decisions must now happen at “quantum speed.” The question that remains is whether announcements evolve into products, employability, and inclusive growth. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
