Key Facts and Data Points
- Models: Sarvam-30B (30 billion parameters) and Sarvam-105B (105 billion parameters)
- Token context windows: 32,000 tokens (30B) and 128,000 tokens (105B)
- Language coverage: All 22 Indian languages with voice‑first optimisation
- Architecture: Mixture‑of‑Experts (MoE) – activates only relevant experts during inference
- Open‑source: Code and weights released publicly
- Training infrastructure: GPUs via IndiaAI Mission’s common compute programme
- Related initiatives: India’s first sovereign LLM ecosystem (120 B‑parameter model) for governance; other sector‑specific models (Soket, Gnani, Gan AI)
Background and Context
- Unveiled at India‑AI Impact Summit 2026 in Bengaluru.
- Introduced Vikram, a multilingual chatbot named after physicist Vikram Sarabhai, symbolising indigenous scientific innovation.
- Launched as global players (e.g., OpenAI) introduce benchmarks like IndQA focusing on Indian language understanding.
- Addresses the “data scarcity” problem in Indic languages, reducing reliance on foreign AI models.
Significance for India / Governance / Policy
- Sovereign AI: Aligns with the Government’s vision of an indigenous AI ecosystem, reducing strategic dependence on external providers.
- Public‑private partnership: Demonstrates effective utilization of the IndiaAI Mission’s shared compute resources.
- Governance applications: Planned 120 B‑parameter open‑source model for public services, enhancing transparency, accessibility, and efficiency.
- Economic impact: Open‑source models can catalyse local startups, research, and job creation in the AI sector.
- Social inclusion: Multilingual capability promotes digital inclusion across diverse linguistic groups, supporting the Digital India agenda.
Related Constitutional / Legal Provisions
- Information Technology Act, 2000 – governs electronic data, cybersecurity, and digital transactions; relevant for AI deployment and liability.
- Data Protection Bill (pending) – will regulate personal data handling in AI applications, emphasizing consent and privacy.
- National AI Strategy (NITI Aayog) – emphasizes indigenous development, ethical AI, capacity building, and sector‑specific use‑cases.