Tech Mahindra Partners with I-HUB QTF to Advance India’s Indigenous Trapped-Ion Quantum Computing

Tech Mahindra has announced a strategic partnership with I-HUB Quantum Technology Foundation (I-HUB QTF), a technology hub hosted by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, to accelerate the development of India's indigenous trapped-ion quantum computing capabilities.

As part of the collaboration, I-HUB QTF is developing a full-stack 20-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer, while Tech Mahindra will contribute its engineering expertise to build middleware that enables seamless communication between the quantum hardware and its underlying control electronics.

Partnership to Build Middleware for Indigenous Quantum Computing

Under the agreement, Tech Mahindra and I-HUB QTF will jointly develop a middleware layer for the trapped-ion quantum computing platform. The project is expected to be completed by December 2026, with commercialization activities planned to begin afterward.

The middleware will provide a scalable software foundation that enables efficient execution of quantum workloads by facilitating communication between trapped-ion quantum hardware and control systems.

Expanding Access to India's Quantum Infrastructure

The partnership aims to accelerate access to indigenous quantum infrastructure for:

• Researchers
• Startups
• Students
• Enterprises
• Strategic sector innovators

The platform will support experimentation, skill development, and application development across industries including:

• Drug discovery
• Logistics optimization
• Cryptography
• Defence technologies

As quantum computing moves closer to commercial adoption, Tech Mahindra is helping make advanced quantum technologies more accessible within India through this industry-academia collaboration.

Leadership Commentary

Nikhil Malhotra, Chief AI & Innovation Officer at Tech Mahindra, said:

"Quantum computing has the potential to open new possibilities for enterprises, research and strategic sectors. To unlock this potential for India, we need robust indigenous capabilities that combine advanced research with scalable engineering. Through this partnership with I-HUB QTF, we are combining its deep scientific expertise and Tech Mahindra's engineering excellence to help accelerate India's trapped-ion quantum computing ecosystem and create future-ready solutions."

Supporting India's Quantum and AI Ecosystem

Tech Mahindra noted that quantum computing is expected to significantly enhance artificial intelligence by solving highly complex computational problems beyond the capabilities of traditional computing systems.

The indigenous quantum platform will support:

• Quantum research
• Algorithm development
• Quantum Machine Learning (QML)
• Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)
• Enterprise quantum applications
• Academic and industry training

The initiative is expected to strengthen India's sovereign AI and quantum computing capabilities while supporting innovation across research institutions, startups, enterprises, and government sectors.

Industry-Academia Collaboration

Kunj Tandon, Chief Executive Officer of I-HUB QTF, emphasized the importance of collaboration between academia and industry.

"Quantum Technologies are at the cutting edge of research and strategically important for the country. Effective partnerships between industry and academia are necessary to move quantum technology from the lab to market. By partnering with Tech Mahindra, we bring in a strong experience of developing engineering software. Such Industry-Academia partnerships will create a strong quantum ecosystem for the country."

Strengthening India's Indigenous Quantum Computing Future

I-HUB QTF continues to advance indigenous trapped-ion quantum computing technology in India. Once operational, the quantum computing facility will be made available to researchers, academic institutions, startups, and enterprises across the country, significantly enhancing India's quantum computing capabilities and supporting future innovation.