Andhra Pradesh expects to hand IBM quantum centre building by end of October

Andhra Pradesh expects to hand the Quantum Computer Centre building to IBM by the end of October, the Times of India reported on 27 October. The handover would let IBM begin moving its Quantum System Two into the facility in Amaravati, with commissioning targeted for December 2026 or January 2027 and formal inauguration in the first week of February 2027.

Handover and shipment

Shipment began in September from the United States after approvals were secured, CV Sridhar, mission director of the Andhra Pradesh State Quantum Mission, told the Times of India. Some components have already reached IBM's warehouse in Bengaluru. The hardware is travelling in parts, so the building handover and the machine's arrival are separate steps.

The centre is a circular, two-storeyed building on a two-acre site near the upcoming Andhra Pradesh legislature complex. It was expected to be ready by the end of October.

What IBM will operate

IBM will own and operate the quantum computer. Indian researchers, universities, startups, enterprises and government agencies are expected to access it through a service model, the Times of India reported. Amith Singhee, IBM Research India director and IBM India and South Asia chief technology officer, said the company intends to install its most advanced available quantum processor. The exact configuration has not been finalised. Current IBM systems operate with roughly 120 to 150 or more qubits per chip, a figure that describes existing hardware rather than the Amaravati machine.

Applications and partners

The centre is intended to anchor the Amaravati Quantum Valley project, which brings together IBM, TCS, Larsen & Toubro, IIT Madras and IIT Tirupati. Andhra Pradesh has launched a programme to develop 100 quantum computing use cases, drawing on problems identified by government departments, industry and startups. One proposed project examines whether quantum optimisation can improve deployment and routing of the state's 731 ambulances under its 108 emergency service. Four startups are taking part. Other candidates range from electricity distribution and factory scheduling to drug discovery and materials research.

What happens next

Basic testing will happen in India once the remaining systems arrive. Sridhar said the overall timeline is within a maximum of three months and that the schedule includes a buffer. The formal inauguration is planned for the first week of February 2027, subject to installation and testing being completed. The processor configuration has yet to be confirmed.

Current quantum machines remain largely research tools, so the Amaravati centre is research infrastructure rather than a replacement for conventional supercomputers. For India, the immediate gain is having advanced quantum hardware on its own soil rather than relying solely on access to systems overseas.