IBM India’s Managing Director Sandip Patel Talks IBM’s Strategy on Quantum Computing & Potential in India

(LiveMint) IBM India managing director Sandip Patel recently discussed the company’s strategy on quantum computing, its potential in India, and how the pandemic has changed the trends in technology adoption among its clients.
He explained, “. .from the field of drug discovery to complex financial modelling, the potential applications of this technology are huge in a country like India”.
Top-tier universities in India are collaborating with us through specialized IBM Quantum Educator and IBM Quantum Research programs to accelerate advanced training and research in quantum computing. We believe, within a few years, the industry will discover the first applications where quantum computers together with classical computers will solve practical problems intractable today for classical systems, alone. With the announcement of the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications, interest in quantum computing has been surging in India and it is an opportune time to make it ubiquitous and accessible to a diverse audience to unlock its true potential. Introducing students to quantum computing earlier in their academic careers is an opportunity to capture interest in the subject and provide a pathway to quantum careers of the future.
In 2020, IBM spent $6.33 billion on research, development, and engineering. IBM received 9,130 US patents in 2020, topping the US patent list for the 28th consecutive year. For the fourth year in a row, IBM India was the second highest contributor to IBM’s global tally with 930 patents granted to inventors from India in 2020.