Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 23 (ANI): The Government of Andhra Pradesh and Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Thursday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the PNB Quantum Finance Hub at Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV), marking the launch of India's first bank-led Quantum Finance Hub.

The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Punjab National Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ashok Chandra, reaffirming the shared commitment of the state government and the bank to foster innovation, research, talent development and the adoption of next-generation technologies in India's banking and financial services sector.

On the occasion, Ashok Chandra inaugurated the PNB Quantum Finance Hub, making Punjab National Bank the first bank in India to partner with a state government to establish a dedicated Quantum Finance Hub for the banking sector.

According to the official statement, the Hub will serve as a collaborative platform bringing together industry, academia, startups, research institutions, government agencies and technology partners to develop practical solutions to improve banking services, strengthen cybersecurity, enhance fraud detection, optimise business operations, improve customer experience and build secure digital financial systems for the future.

It said the banking sector is witnessing rapid digital transformation alongside increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, large-scale financial fraud attempts and evolving security challenges.

It added that advances in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing are reshaping the global financial landscape, offering opportunities to improve efficiency, customer services and risk management while requiring banks to prepare for future security challenges and adopt resilient digital infrastructure.

The PNB Quantum Finance Hub will support the development, testing and adoption of secure, intelligent and future-ready banking solutions.

It will also promote collaborative research, encourage innovation among startups, strengthen industry-academia partnerships and create a skilled workforce capable of driving the next phase of digital transformation in the financial sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said, 'Our vision is to make Amaravati a global centre for deep technologies and innovation. Amaravati Quantum Valley is the first of the many innovation ecosystems we are developing in Amaravati as part of this grand vision. The establishment of the Punjab National Bank Quantum & AI Finance Innovation Hub is another important milestone in this journey. By bringing together the Government, industry, academia, startups, and the banking sector, this partnership will accelerate research, innovation, skill development, and the development of practical solutions for the banking and financial services sector.'

PNB Managing Director and CEO Ashok Chandra said, 'The PNB Quantum & AI Finance Innovation Hub marks a significant milestone in our technology and innovation journey. Through our partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Amaravati Quantum Valley, we aim to harness the transformative potential of Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence to strengthen cybersecurity, enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and prepare the Bank for the future of digital banking.' (ANI)