Andhra Pradesh to launch India’s first open-access quantum computer test beds at Amaravati Quantum Valley

Andhra Pradesh is set to unveil India’s first open-access quantum computer test beds that will allow researchers, startups and institutions to try out their systems and software on the platforms.

The two state-of-the-art quantum computer test beds that have been developed are housed in the state’s ambitious Amaravati Quantum Valley project. These mini quantum systems have been made entirely with locally developed components.

“This is a truly Make in India initiative which is accessible to all,” Andhra Pradesh State Quantum Mission director CV Sridhar told ET.

Unlike any other quantum computing facility in the world, these systems — the 1Q test bed at Medha Towers and the 1S test bed at SRM University, Amaravati — will be open to all. Andhra Pradesh has asked other state governments and institutions to provide problem statements that will be converted into quantum circuits that can be loaded and run on the quantum computers to develop algorithms.
“At present we are telling the states to provide us with problems that they are using artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle,” said Sridhar.

For instance, the mission has got three years of data on emergency calls for medical help and ambulance deployment from the health department.

Quantum computing researchers are trying to work out how best to optimise ambulance positioning to attend to the maximum number of emergency calls. The mission has set a target of creating 100 algorithms over the next two years.

The biggest challenge for India has been sourcing quantum computer components, something the project has managed to resolve.

Developed under the Centre’s National Quantum Mission, the two quantum computers exemplify India’s top scientific minds coming together to spearhead a Make-inIndia initiative. The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) extended technical support for the initiative. For the first time, Indiamade processors, amplifiers, dilution fridge, flex wires and gas handling systems have been used in the two quantum computing systems. The 1Q test bed has been set up by Qubitech and Qbit Force. The 1S test bed has been developed using superconducting technology. The systems operate at extremely low temperatures — at about minus 273°C. Both quantum computers run on ultra-low noise power supply systems with six decimal point stability. Delhi-based QUTE Electronics has developed power supply systems that ensure zero disruption.

“At the beginning of the National Quantum Mission, there was adiscussion if there is a possibility of providing a quantum computing system which is open to all, and now this is a reality,” said veteran TIFR physicist Rajamani Vijayaraghavan. “This is a unique effort because the dilution fridge will eventually be completely Made in India."

A dilution refrigerator cools superconducting quantum processors to the extremely low temperatures that are needed. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will unveil both facilities on April 14, World Quantum Day. The chief minister has called on the startup ecosystem to develop software that can be tested on the quantum computer test beds. “Since we have developed the systems, we have been flooded with requests to scale up,” said Qubitech founder Prudhvi Pinnaka. “Now the challenge is to design better and manufacture more.”