Indian AI startup makes European breakthrough with BharatGPT Mini launch
Empower your mind, elevate your skills
India's artificial intelligence sector achieved a significant milestone last month as CoRover , the country's leading conversational AI company, successfully launched BharatGPT Mini at Europe's premier technology conference VivaTech 2025 in Paris and quickly secured its first commercial partnership with a French business school The breakthrough came when Ecole des Ponts Business School in Paris signed a deal with CoRover to deploy the multilingual AI system for student services, marking the first European commercial adoption of the Indian-developed technology. The partnership will see the school use BharatGPT Mini to assist prospective students with resume reviews, program selection, and admissions guidance.The lightweight model supports 14 Indian languages alongside major international languages and accepts multiple input formats including voice, text, and video. Its privacy-first architecture means sensitive data remains on users' devices rather than being transmitted to external servers."In a world grappling with ballooning cloud costs and growing data privacy concerns, BharatGPT Mini offers a timely alternative," the company stated while announcing the technology.BharatGPT Mini distinguishes itself in an increasingly crowded AI market through its focus on efficiency and accessibility. Unlike resource-intensive large language models that require constant internet connectivity and significant computing power, CoRover's solution operates offline and on-device, addressing growing concerns about cloud computing costs and data privacy.CoRover's Paris success is part of a broader Indian government initiative to establish the country as a global AI innovator rather than merely a consumer of foreign technology. The company was among 10 startups participating in the Station F-HEC International LaunchPad program, supported by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and facilitated by the Indian Embassy in Paris.Ankush Sabharwal, CoRover's founder and CEO, framed the Ecole des Ponts partnership as reflecting the diplomatic relationship between India and France. "Inspired by the shared vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron, this collaboration reflects how India and France can jointly shape the future of responsible AI," he said.Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada, who unveiled the technology at VivaTech in Paris, highlighted its potential for digital inclusion . "This AI model works even without the internet, in 14 Indian languages," Prasada said at the launch ceremony. "Imagine citizens accessing healthcare, banking, or governance services just by speaking in their language - no apps, no typing. This is digital empowerment at scale."The launch ceremony was attended by senior Indian officials including Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and IT and CEO of IndiaAI, along with Sanjeev Singla, India's Ambassador to France and Monaco.Early market indicators suggest strong appetite for CoRover's approach. The company reports enterprise interest has risen 60-70 per cent, while small business adoption is projected to increase fivefold in fiscal year 2026.Hina Wadhwa, Director of Marketing and Admissions at Ecole des Ponts Business School, praised the technology's potential impact. "CoRover's GenAI solution will completely transform how we engage with future students. This partnership sets a powerful example for Indo-French cooperation in AI."The success of BharatGPT Mini represents a strategic shift for India's technology sector, moving beyond software services to compete in cutting-edge AI development. With more than 25,000 clients globally and over one billion users, CoRover is positioning itself as a champion of what it calls "AI sovereignty" - the principle that nations should develop indigenous AI capabilities rather than depend entirely on foreign platforms.The company's no-code/low-code development platform, CoRoverBuilder, aims to democratize AI creation, allowing businesses to build conversational AI applications without extensive technical expertise.As global attention increasingly focuses on the concentration of AI development in a few major technology companies, India's emergence as a creator of alternative, privacy-focused AI solutions may signal a broader shift in the industry's geographic and technological landscape.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
19 minutes ago
- The Print
Nash Energy and Rincell Corporation Join Hands to Manufacture NMC Cells in India
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 22: Nash Energy, India's only mass-scale LFP cell manufacturer, and US-based Rincell Corporation, a developer of rechargeable cells based on next-generation chemistries, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on producing advanced battery NMC cells in India, marking a significant step toward strengthening the country's clean energy and electric vehicle sectors. * Strategic Partnership: Nash Energy and Rincell have signed an MoU to collaborate on sale and manufacturing advanced NMC battery cells in India. * Technology Transfer: Rincell will transfer its high-C rate cell technology to Nash Energy. * Manufacturing Setup: Nash Energy is India's first mass-scale cylindrical lithium-ion cell manufacturer. Nash Energy will establish a Giga factory capable of multi-chemistry cell manufacturing in India in a phased manner. * Market Focus: The partnership will target drones, defence, aerospace applications and electric vehicles, with a revenue-sharing sales model. * Customer Engagement & Roadmap: Both companies will collaborate closely with key customers, leveraging strong interest and momentum to shape next-generation battery cell designs and commercial agreements. Nash Energy has already emerged as a pioneer in the industry setting up India's first mass-scale LFP Cell manufacturing unit in Bengaluru, and has more than 15 Indian and global clients. Nash Energy plans to build a manufacturing plant with a capacity of around 10 GWh in a phased manner, aligned with customer demand and commercial commitments. Under the agreement, Rincell will transfer its cutting-edge technology for Nickel Manganese Cobalt Cathode (NMC) battery cells to Nash Energy. In return, Nash Energy will set up a manufacturing facility in India to produce these high-performance battery cells and lead go-to-market and commercialization efforts. The partnership will initially focus on producing Rincell's high-energy and high-power battery cell formats — the 18650 (4.1Ah capacity), 21700 (5.8Ah Capacity), and NMC cells (5Ah capacity with 5C and 4Ah capacity with 8C) — tailored to meet diverse customer needs. Both companies will work closely with Tier-1 and Tier-2 customers to build on existing purchase commitments and collaboratively explore next-generation battery cell designs The collaboration targets key sectors including drones, defense, aerospace applications and electric vehicles sectors, reflecting the growing demand for reliable, locally manufactured battery solutions. 'We're thrilled to partner with Rincell to bring advanced battery technology to India,' said Sanjay S. Wadhwa, Managing Director of Nash Energy. 'This initiative will help accelerate the adoption of clean energy and electric mobility in the country.' Jignesh Parikh, Co-Founder and CEO of Rincell Corporation, added, 'This partnership enables us to combine our cutting-edge technology with Nash Energy's local expertise, creating new opportunities to serve India's and the global fast-growing energy market.' The companies will continue to refine their technology roadmap based on customer feedback, ensuring they stay ahead in battery innovation. About Nash Energy Nash Energy is part of NASH Group and is India's first and only mass-scale LFP cell manufacturer with a 600Mwh capacity unit in Bengaluru. It is a leader in renewable energy solutions, committed to delivering sustainable power technologies globally. It also owns a R&D Centre in Japan and concentrates on making India self-reliant in the energy storage sector. About Rincell Corporation Rincell Corporation is based in US and was founded to accelerate the electrification of high-impact carbon emission products, fostering a sustainable future with a secure supply chain. Rincell is committed to US & allied manufacturing of its high-performance Silicon-Graphite, & Sodium-ion batteries for government and commercial applications. Logo: (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
BP-chartered tanker leaves port of sanctioned-Nayara Energy without loading oil, sources say
Oil tanker Talara, chartered by energy major BP, has left the Vadinar port of newly-sanctioned Indian refiner Nayara Energy without loading diesel as planned, according to five industry sources and shipping data on LSEG. The vessel was supposed to load 60,000 metric tons (447,000 barrels) of ultra low sulphur diesel on July 21 with the cargo bound for Africa, LSEG data showed. Nayara, partly-owned by Russia's largest oil producer Rosneft, and BP did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. The change in loading plan suggests that European Union sanctions imposed on Nayara on Friday are disrupting refined products exports from the Russia-backed refiner, one of the two private fuel exporters in India. The vessel, Talara, did not load the cargo after the EU imposed the sanctions, one of the sources said. The EU sanctions package against Russia over its war in Ukraine was aimed at dealing further blows to Russia's oil and energy industry. BP has since released the ship, making it available for charter within India or Middle East region, two of the sources said. Nayara said in a statement on Monday it condemned the EU's "unjust and unilateral" decision to impose sanctions on the company, while India said on Friday it did not support the EU's "unilateral sanctions".
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Logistics a key enabler for Indian automotive sector's growth: SIAM executive
Logistics has become a critical enabler for the Indian automotive sector , and contributed to its 7.3 per cent growth in FY25, according to Tapan Ghosh , chairman of the Society of Indan Automobile Manufacturers ( SIAM ) Logistics Group & vice president (sales) at Hyundai Motor India. 'There is an urgent need for smarter, greener, and more responsible logistics solutions,' Ghosh said at SIAM's 11th Automotive Logistics Conclave, held in the national capital Delhi. The conclave, with the theme 'Enhancing Efficiencies in Automotive Logistics,' explored the sector's evolving needs amid rising vehicle demand, growing complexity in supply chains, and a push for green and digital transformation. SD Chhabra, co-chairman of the SIAM Logistics Group & executive officer (parts, accessories & logistics) at Maruti Suzuki India, in turn, said the industry was moving towards increased use of rail for dispatch and adopting new technologies for better shipment tracking and partner coordination. Hitendra Malhotra, member (operations & business development), Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, highlighted the government's push to introduce specialised wagons with higher car-carrying capacities, including double-decker designs suited for SUVs. 'These changes aim to support the expanding logistical needs of the automobile sector,' Malhotra said. Sustainability in Logistics The participants also discussed the industry's growing responsibility to reduce environmental impact. Speakers from Think Gas, MapmyIndia, Mahindra & Mahindra, Safexpress, and APLL VASCOR stressed the importance of adopting eco-friendly logistics practices and aligning with India's broader green mobility objectives, according to a statement by SIAM. SIAM, in the statement, said the industry is prepared to adopt and leverage digital tools and invest in infrastructure to utilise logistics as a key pillar of the Indian automobile sector's growth. It, however, sought more policy support. The event also saw the participation of senior representatives from companies and institutions such as the Asian Institute of Transport Development (AITD), Axestrack Software Solutions, DPIIT, Chetak Logistics, Gujarat Pipavav Port, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Transglobal Carriers, and Ashok Leyland.
