Dr Jitendra Singh announced that India’s National Quantum Mission, with an allocation of about ₹6,000 crore, marks a pivotal step in positioning Amaravati as a strategic springboard for the country’s quantum ambitions.

He described the foundation stone ceremony for the Amaravati Quantum Valley as more than the inauguration of a building; it symbolises the laying of the groundwork for India’s quantum future. The event underscored the government’s intention to weave quantum technologies into defence, cybersecurity, healthcare, and communications, ensuring long-term strategic advantages.

The ceremony in Amaravati was attended by senior figures from across government and academia, including Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and notable researchers and industry leaders from IBM Research India, TCS, and L&T. The gathering highlighted a strong public–private–academic alignment, with a series of MoUs and collaborations announced on the day.

The programs unveiled alongside the foundation plaque included the IBM–TCS Quantum Cloud Services, the IBM–TCS Quantum Innovation Centre, a Quantum Talent Hub, a Quantum Reference Facility by SRM University, and a Quantum-Safe Applications initiative, indicating a concerted effort to build both capacity and practical applications.

Dr Singh emphasised cooperative federalism and cited the state’s swift progress as an exemplar of the Centre–State collaboration known as the “double-engine” approach. He recalled his prior experience in Hyderabad’s Hi-Tech City to illustrate how state leadership, combined with central support, can accelerate technological development.

He also referenced the Visakhapatnam visit where a long-delayed project—the National Centre for Ocean Sciences—was revitalised, reinforcing the government’s Blue Economy agenda and its commitment to delivering complex national missions through streamlined governance.

The minister outlined the National Quantum Mission’s scale and reach, noting that it engages 43 institutions across 17 states and two union territories and operates under four thematic hubs: Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing and Metrology, and Quantum Materials and Devices.

The strategic objectives include developing quantum computers with up to 1,000 physical qubits within eight years and establishing secure, ground-to-ground quantum communication networks capable of inter-city Quantum Key Distribution across 2,000 kilometres. This framework aims to secure communications, bolster defence readiness, and enable advanced sensing capabilities.

In his remarks to students, Singh explained that quantum technologies are not optional but essential for safeguarding India’s future industrial and strategic landscape. He described quantum encryption as a protocol that could render data nearly unbreachable, potentially extending the time required for adversaries to break cryptographic systems to astronomical scales.

The discussion highlighted the potential transformations in defence cybersecurity and healthcare, including precision radiation therapies that could target tumours with minimal collateral damage and adapt to organ movement in real time, thereby improving patient outcomes.

He touched on the broader national strategy, noting parallel momentum in Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Space, and Deep Ocean exploration. The minister mentioned the BioPharma Shakti initiative and observed that the global economy is shifting towards biotechnology, regenerative medicine, software-driven systems, and quantum computing. India is actively expanding quantum education, signalling that B.Tech minors in Quantum Technology are already in place and that structured M.Tech programs are being developed, potentially in Andhra Pradesh through faculty collaboration and shared infrastructure.

Singh also highlighted facility-building and access measures designed to support start-ups, researchers, and academic institutions. He cited examples such as the IIT-Madras Research Park model, now being scaled nationwide, as evidence of a proven framework for nurturing innovation ecosystems. The minister stressed that the era of siloed work is over, with Amaravati Quantum Valley intended to integrate government, industry, academia, and start-ups into a cohesive national effort.

Finally, Singh linked the Amaravati initiative to a broader arc of expanding India’s private participation in strategic sectors. He reminded listeners that the space sector has welcomed private players and that nuclear energy has similarly benefited from greater private involvement.

He noted that India’s space economy has grown substantially—from a minor share to an $8 billion sector in the near term, with projections of reaching around $45 billion as collaboration deepens. The foundation of Amaravati was described as the starting point of India’s quantum journey, with Andhra Pradesh envisioned as a launchpad for a broader, nationwide quantum leadership.

PIB Press Release