India has just launched the BharatGen project, a pioneering initiative aimed at developing generative AI in Indian languages. This state-funded project is spearheaded by IIT Bombay under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
BharatGen is notable for being the world's first government-funded multimodal large language model project. It aims to create high-quality text and multimodal content in various Indian languages, making AI more accessible and inclusive. The project will benefit government, private, educational, and research institutions, and is expected to be completed in two years.
AtmaNirbhar Bharat, Promoting Indian Languages & Social Equity
By leveraging generative AI, the BharatGen project can help preserve and promote the rich linguistic diversity of India. This initiative not only supports cultural heritage but also ensures that technological advancements are inclusive and accessible to a broader population.BharatGen aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by creating foundational AI models specifically tailored for India. By developing AI technologies within India, BharatGen reduces reliance on foreign technologies and strengthens the domestic AI ecosystem for startups, industries, and government agencies.
Democratizing access to AI through foundational models and detailed technical recipes it allows innovators, researchers, and startups to build AI applications quickly and affordably. A core feature of BharatGen is its focus on data-efficient learning, particularly for Indian languages with limited digital presence. Through fundamental research and collaboration with academic institutions, the initiative will develop models that are effective with minimal data—a critical need for languages underserved by global AI initiatives. BharatGen will also foster a vibrant AI research community through training programs, hackathons, and collaborations with global experts.
One of the primary goals of BharatGen is to deliver generative AI models and applications as a public good. This means prioritizing India’s socio-cultural and linguistic diversity while ensuring that the benefits of AI reach all segments of society.
This initiative also aligns with India's broader goals of promoting social equity, cultural preservation, and linguistic diversity through advanced AI technologies.
Technical Aspects of BharatGen.
The BharatGen project is being developed by a consortium led by IIT Bombay under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS). The project is managed by the TIH Foundation for IoT and IOE at IIT Bombay. |
Several premier academic institutions are involved in this initiative, including IIIT Hyderabad, IIT Mandi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, IIM Indore and IIT Madras.
This collaborative effort aims to create generative AI systems that can produce high-quality text and multimodal content in various Indian languages.
BharatGen focuses on developing multimodal large language models that can handle text, speech, and computer vision tasks. This means the models will be capable of understanding and generating content across different types of media. BharatGen will be developed as an open-source platform. This approach encourages collaboration and innovation, allowing researchers and developers to contribute to and benefit from the project.
The models will be built and trained using datasets that are specifically curated to represent Indian languages and contexts. This ensures that the AI is culturally and contextually relevant.
BharatGen’s roadmap outlines key milestones up to July 2026. These include extensive AI model development, experimentation, and the establishment of AI benchmarks tailored to India’s needs. BharatGen will also focus on scaling AI adoption across industries and public initiatives.
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