In a significant step towards strengthening regional cooperation in digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence, the Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) and Kathmandu University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on multilingual language technologies and inclusive digital services.
The partnership aims to support the development of advanced language AI solutions, digital public infrastructure and voice-based technologies that can help bridge language and accessibility gaps across India and Nepal.
Collaboration Focused on Language Technology
The agreement was signed between Amitabh Nag, Chief Executive Officer of the Digital India BHASHINI Division, and Prof. Bal Krishna Bal, Associate Dean at Kathmandu University’s Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence (DPI-AI).
The exchange of the MoU took place during bilateral engagements in New Delhi in the presence of India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, reflecting the growing collaboration between the two countries in emerging technologies and digital transformation.
Building Inclusive Digital Infrastructure
The partnership seeks to create a framework for developing multilingual digital infrastructure that can make technology more accessible to citizens regardless of language or literacy levels.
Under the collaboration, both institutions will work on creating high-quality Nepali language datasets, speech resources and artificial intelligence tools. These efforts will support technologies such as speech-to-text, text-to-speech, machine translation and multilingual conversational AI systems.
The initiative is expected to help expand access to digital services while enabling citizens to interact with technology in their preferred languages.
Preserving Linguistic Heritage Through Technology
A major focus of the partnership will be the preservation and digitisation of linguistic and literary resources, particularly for low-resource and underrepresented languages.
Officials noted that many regional languages face challenges in the digital era due to limited technological support. Through AI-enabled language tools and digital resources, the collaboration aims to ensure that communities can continue using and preserving their native languages while benefiting from digital advancements.
The project is also expected to contribute to safeguarding the rich linguistic heritage shared across the India-Nepal region.
Supporting Digital Public Services in Nepal
Leveraging BHASHINI‘s open and interoperable language technology platform, the collaboration will support efforts to make public services more accessible in Nepal through multilingual digital solutions.
By reducing language, literacy and accessibility barriers, the initiative aims to help governments deliver citizen services more effectively, particularly in regions where language diversity can create challenges in communication and service delivery.
Officials believe the approach can improve digital inclusion and ensure that more people are able to benefit from government programmes and online services.
Research, Innovation and Capacity Building
The MoU also includes provisions for joint research, training programmes, academic collaboration and pilot projects in areas such as natural language processing, multilingual AI and digital public infrastructure.
Universities, researchers, language experts and technology professionals from both countries will be encouraged to work together on developing innovative solutions and building expertise in language technologies.
The collaboration is expected to create opportunities for students, researchers and entrepreneurs interested in emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.
Creating New Opportunities for Citizens
Beyond technology development, the initiative is expected to support wider access to education, skill development, digital commerce and public services through multilingual platforms.
By enabling people to interact with digital systems in their own languages, the partnership aims to improve participation in the digital economy and create new social and economic opportunities for citizens in Nepal and the broader region.
Officials believe the project will help make digital services more inclusive while supporting the growth of language-based innovation ecosystems.
Strengthening Regional Digital Cooperation
The partnership reflects a broader vision of using technology to promote inclusion, preserve cultural diversity and strengthen regional cooperation.
Also Read | Digital India Bhashini Revolutionising Language Accessibility with AI-Powered Solutions
With BHASHINI emerging as a key component of India’s multilingual digital public infrastructure, the collaboration with Kathmandu University marks an important step in extending the benefits of language technology beyond national boundaries.
As both countries continue to invest in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, the initiative is expected to contribute to the development of a more connected, accessible and linguistically inclusive digital future for the region.
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