Is India Making a Bold Move in AI with BharatGen?
Synopsis
India is on the brink of revolutionizing AI with the launch of PARAM-2, a multilingual AI model with 17 billion parameters, as part of its BharatGen initiative. This development aims to enhance transparency and data sovereignty while supporting all Scheduled Indian languages. Discover how this initiative could reshape the country's AI landscape!
Key Takeaways
PARAM-2 features 17 billion parameters and supports all 22 Scheduled Indian languages.
It is developed under the BharatGen programme, which focuses on national digital goods.
The model aims to enhance transparency and data sovereignty .
Strong support from the Department of Science and Technology underlines its significance.
It leverages a Mixture-of-Experts architecture for efficient multilingual processing.
New Delhi, Feb 15 (NationPress) India is poised to make significant advancements in artificial intelligence with the introduction of PARAM-2, a groundbreaking multilingual AI model featuring 17 billion parameters. This launch is scheduled for the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026.
PARAM-2, developed as part of the BharatGen initiative, exemplifies India's commitment to creating its own sovereign foundational AI models tailored to the linguistic, governance, and cultural nuances of the nation.
The BharatGen programme, which is backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has been laying a robust groundwork over the years, positioning India among a select few nations capable of developing large-scale AI models independently.
Supporting all 22 Scheduled Indian languages, PARAM-2 has been trained on India-centric datasets sourced from Bharat Data Sagar.
Utilizing a Mixture-of-Experts architecture, it efficiently manages intricate multilingual tasks.
Professor Ganesh Ramakrishnan from IIT Bombay, a pivotal figure in the BharatGen project, described this launch as a collaborative achievement involving researchers, institutions, government entities, and industry stakeholders, all focused on shaping India's AI landscape.
In contrast to global consumer AI platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini, BharatGen adopts a distinctive approach. It does not function as a centralized business-to-consumer model; instead, its AI models are released as national public digital goods.
This framework enables government agencies, banks, hospitals, courts, and educational institutions to implement these models locally, even in secure environments without Internet connectivity, fostering transparency, trust, and data sovereignty.
The backbone of BharatGen is the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems under the DST. Initially, Rs 235 crore was allocated to kickstart the project, which is now being expanded with additional support from the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, which has earmarked Rs 900 crore as part of a comprehensive national AI strategy.
Point of View
I believe the launch of PARAM-2 is a pivotal moment for India. This initiative not only enhances our technological landscape but also reinforces India's commitment to data sovereignty and transparency. By developing our own AI models, we are ensuring that our unique cultural and linguistic needs are met, positioning India as a leader in the global AI arena.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BharatGen initiative?
BharatGen is India's national generative AI programme aimed at building sovereign foundational AI models tailored to the country's unique requirements.
How many languages does PARAM-2 support?
PARAM-2 supports all 22 Scheduled Indian languages.
What is the goal of BharatGen?
The goal of BharatGen is to ensure transparency, trust, and data sovereignty in AI applications across various sectors in India.
Who is leading the BharatGen project?
Professor Ganesh Ramakrishnan from IIT Bombay is one of the key leaders behind the BharatGen initiative.
