BharatGen Programme: Advancing AI for India

• The BharatGen Programme is a government initiative aimed at developing advanced AI systems that can generate text, audio, and images in various Indian languages. 
• It is part of India’s effort to enhance AI capabilities while ensuring AI models cater to the country’s linguistic, cultural, and societal diversity.

What is BharatGen?

• A Multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) project focused on Generative AI (AI that creates text, speech, images, and videos).
• Aims to develop AI-powered applications that interact in multiple Indian languages.
• Will improve accessibility and efficiency in sectors like governance, healthcare, education, and customer service.

Key Goals of BharatGen

• Improving Public Services – Making government services faster, smarter, and more efficient using AI.
• Enhancing Citizen Engagement – Enabling people to interact with AI in regional languages.
• Cultural & Linguistic Inclusivity – Unlike global AI models focused on English, BharatGen will prioritize Indian languages.

Implementation & Timeline

• Led by: TIH Foundation for IoT & IoE (TIH-IoT) under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
• Completion Timeline: Expected by July 2026 (within 2 years).

What is Bharat Data Sagar?

• A vast repository of India-centric data for training AI models.
• Ensures AI models understand Indian culture, languages, and regional diversity.

What is the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)?

• Launched: 2018 by the Government of India.
• Aim: To promote research in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), which integrate digital technologies with the physical world.
• Implementing Agency: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India.

Other AI Initiatives in India

• Apart from BharatGen, several other initiatives promote AI in India:
  • IndiaAI Mission – National AI strategy under Digital India Corporation (DIC).
  • National AI Portal (INDIAai) – A knowledge platform managed by MeitY, NeGD, and NASSCOM.
  • AIRAWAT (AI Research Analytics and Knowledge Dissemination Platform) – Provides computing power for AI research.
  • Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) – India is a founding member promoting responsible AI development.
  • National AI Skilling Program – Trains and up skills Indian youth in AI.
  • YuvaAI Initiative – A capacity-building program to educate young Indians about AI.
  • Srijan (GenAI Centre of Excellence) – A dedicated research center for Generative AI in India.

Why is BharatGen Important for India?

• AI Built for India – Focuses on Indian languages and culture.
• Promotes Digital Transformation – Enhances AI-powered governance, education, and healthcare.
• Boosts AI Research & Innovation – Develops home-grown AI technologies, reducing dependence on foreign models.
• Strengthens India’s Position as a Global AI Leader – Enhances India’s competitiveness in AI.