Centre Launches BhashaSetu Language Tech Challenge

On 1stJuly 2025, the central government launched the WAVEX Startup Challenge 2025, inviting startups to develop real-time multilingual AI translation tools under its flagship WaveX Accelerator.

The challenge, named ‘BhashaSetu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat’, focuses on building AI-powered solutions capable of translation, transliteration, and voice localisation across at least 12 Indian languages.
The initiative aims to bridge India’s linguistic divide by promoting inclusive, accessible, and affordable communication technologies tailored to the country’s multilingual fabric.
The competition is open to all startups, regardless of their stage of development, with no minimum eligibility criteria imposed for participation.
Startups are encouraged to use open-source or low-cost AI models to ensure scalability and affordability, though proprietary models will also be accepted if kept economically viable for widespread use.