India launches AI-based multimodal LLM for Indian languages

India has recently launched an indigenously developed AI-based multimodal large language model (LLM) for Indian languages.

The platform, named BharatGen, integrates text, speech and image modalities, offering AI solutions in 22 Indian languages, the Science and Technology Ministry said in a statement.

"This initiative will empower critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture and governance, delivering region-specific AI solutions that understand and serve every Indian," said Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.

Recalling a success story from his own parliamentary constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh, a physician-politician, spoke about AI-powered telemedicine services where an AI doctor communicates fluently in the patient's native language. "It not only builds trust but has a placebo-like psychological effect, enabling better care in remote regions connected with super-speciality hospitals across India," he said.

The BharatGen initiative is being executed through a network of 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs). The mission's goals include technology development, entrepreneurship, human resource development, and international collaboration.

Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and implemented through TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE at IIT Bombay, BharatGen aims to revolutionise AI development across India's linguistic and cultural spectrum.

The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (DST) and brings together a consortium of leading academic institutions, experts, and innovators.