IndiaAI Mission Launches 3 Indigenous AI Models: Multilingual Processing & Vision Features Explained
With the introduction of three Indian foundation models through the IndiaAI Mission, India has furthered its journey in creating indigenous artificial intelligence capabilities. EKA-1, Dhīr 2B and Dhīr 5B have been launched by MeitY on November 3, 2026. These models can be used for a variety of purposes, including multilingual processing, coding and offline AI.
These models have been designed by Bengaluru based Soket Labs Technology and Research and ZenteiQ AiTech Innovations.
EKA-1: AI Model Supporting 22 Indian Languages
Built by Soket Labs, EKA-1 is a foundation model of 26.3 billion parameters that was trained using about 7.5 trillion tokens. The model has support for all 22 Scheduled Indian languages as well as English.
It has been made for use cases such as mathematics, programming, reasoning, and agentic artificial intelligence. Its specialized uses include banking, financial services, and cybersecurity.
EKA-1 can be run in private cloud, on-premises, and air-gapped deployments. Air-gapped deployments refer to those systems that do not have a connection to the internet. They also have some capability for running on-device artificial intelligence.
Dhīr 2B and Dhīr 5B: Lightweight Offline AI Models
The Dhīr 2B and Dhīr 5B models are two of the open-source multilingual assistant architectures by ZenteiQ. These models support English along with 10 languages of India and have been built for the purposes of document-based automation and enterprise services.
Their primary feature is that they can be run directly on compatible mobile devices without requiring continuous internet access. Their lightweight architecture allows them to work on different computer architectures like GPUs and TPUs.
They could prove to be useful in government agencies, defense forces, educational institutions, and industries where information should not leave secure systems.
How the Models Can Support Indian Users
These three models cater to different needs instead of competing with one another to capture the same applications.
EKA-1 is mainly concerned with reasoning, coding, and enterprise tasks whereas Dhīr models have features of quick deployment, multilingual help, and working offline.
They have the potential to facilitate the use of AI services in India through the processing of Indian languages, especially for those people who feel more comfortable in using regional languages.
It is anticipated that these models will motivate startups, researchers, and developers to innovate using native AI technology.
IndiaAI Mission Strengthens Domestic AI Development
They were developed through the IndiaAI Innovation Centre’s Foundation Models initiative and with help from subsidised national computing infrastructure and expenses related to research.
Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, S. Krishnan underscored their potential in boosting technological sovereignty and increasing efficiency for both the government and industry.
The models will be available through AIKosh, the portal of the Government of India for data and tools for AI.
The launch marks an important step in developing AI systems that fit the linguistic and technical needs of India and increasing Indian engagement with the world of artificial intelligence.
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