The agreement will focus on multilingual AI, regional language resources and improving access to digital public services across the state.
The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) and the Government of Manipur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance multilingual artificial intelligence and integrate regional language technologies into government and citizen-facing digital services.
The agreement was formalised during the BHASHINI Rajyam Workshop, Manipur Chapter, held in Imphal on October 14, 2026. The workshop was organised by DIBD, operating under the Digital India Corporation and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with Manipur's Department of Information Technology.
The partnership will focus on strengthening digital language resources, identifying priority applications and exploring the integration of AI-powered translation and language tools into government platforms.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh attended the programme, which brought together government officials and technology stakeholders to discuss the adoption of multilingual AI in public service delivery.
The MoU was signed by Amitabh Nag, Chief Executive Officer of DIBD, and Somorjit Salam, Secretary, Information Technology, Government of Manipur.
During the workshop, participants examined BHASHINI's Language-First Digital Public Infrastructure, including its language datasets, AI models, application programming interfaces and applications designed to support multilingual communication.
A live demonstration of real-time English-to-Manipuri translation showcased how AI-powered language tools could be used to address communication barriers in digital services.
Discussions also covered potential applications across education, healthcare, legal services and grievance redressal, where language accessibility can influence how citizens interact with government platforms.
Somorjit Salam said digital services must be designed around citizens' ability to understand and use them effectively. He highlighted the importance of testing language technologies against local requirements before their wider implementation.
The workshop also examined Manipur's linguistic diversity, including Manipuri, Tangkhul, Thadou, Paite, Hmar and Liangmai. Participants discussed the role of language experts and local communities in developing and validating datasets and AI models suited to regional communication needs.
Amitabh Nag, CEO of DIBD, emphasised the need for AI systems to accommodate India's linguistic diversity and support practical applications that reduce language-related barriers to digital access.
The programme additionally featured BHASHINI Shilpi, an interactive platform that allows developers, students and innovators to experiment with language AI tools and build applications.
The collaboration forms part of the broader BHASHINI Rajyam initiative, which works with state governments to support regional language technology development and multilingual digital governance.
Under the agreement, the two parties will explore opportunities to expand language technology capabilities and incorporate them into relevant public-facing systems. The initiative is intended to support more accessible digital interactions while strengthening the availability of AI-based language resources for Manipur's diverse communities.
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