A Technology Already Being Piloted in Indian IT: Quantum Computing
Persistent Systems: Watching, Not Yet Building
Persistent's FY2025-26 Annual Report introduced "quantum" into its vocabulary for the first time: "...laying the groundwork for the adoption of transformative quantum technologies... as quantum computing begins to deliver practical applications." Persistent positions quantum as a technology on the 2026-2027 horizon to prepare for, rather than an internal active pilot.
The TCS-IBM 156-Qubit Quantum System Two Deployment
In May 2025, TCS, IBM, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh announced India's largest quantum computer deployment—an IBM Quantum System Two powered by a 156-qubit Heron processor at the Quantum Valley Tech Park in Amaravati under the National Quantum Mission.
TCS AWS Quantum Lab Groundwork
This deployment builds on the TCS Quantum Computing Lab on AWS (launched Nov 2022), providing an active enterprise testbed for optimization, anomaly detection, and material simulation workloads.
Why This Qualifies as "Piloting," Not Hype
Three criteria confirm validity: (1) A physical hardware installation with state government backing, (2) A multi-year active cloud testbed since 2022, and (3) Alignment with Forrester Research guidance advising firms to "prepare without over-investing" for 2026-2027 commercial readiness.
Renting Compute Infrastructure Pattern Extended to Quantum
TCS isn't building quantum chips; it licenses IBM hardware and monetizes the application layer above it—repeating India's classical AI compute playbook. While Persistent watches from the sidelines, TCS leads peer positioning as equity analysts track quantum tech exposure into 2027.