The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced on January 19, 2021, the establishment of a Quantum Computing Applications Lab (QCAL) in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). According to the Press Information Bureau release, the lab would provide quantum computing as a service to government ministries, researchers, scientists, academia, and developers.
MeitY Secretary Ajay Sawhney said the lab represented “another significant step in India’s science and technology journey.” AWS committed to providing hosting, technical, and programmatic support, including access to Amazon Braket for quantum hardware, simulators, and programming tools at no cost to selected applicants.
Operations began in March 2021. The lab was described as the first quantum computing applications lab on AWS Cloud to support a government’s science and technology mission at the country level.