The Embassy of India in Kathmandu and the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) hosted a seminar to explore bilateral opportunities for artificial intelligence collaboration. The event gathered stakeholders from government, academia, and the startup ecosystem with the primary objective of leveraging AI for shared economic growth and strengthening technology-driven cooperation between the two nations. Discussions emphasized the pillars of the India AI Mission, the importance of data sovereignty, and the potential for the Indian AI sector to establish a stronger presence in Nepal through strategic public and private partnerships.

The seminar showcased significant outcomes from existing collaborations, such as the India-Nepal Startup Partnership Network (IN-SPAN) program, which is currently training its second cohort of 25 Nepali startups at IIT Madras. It also highlighted a recent Memorandum of Understanding between Digital India Bhashini Division and Kathmandu University to advance language AI and multilingual digital public infrastructure. Potential areas for cooperation include joint research initiatives, targeted training programs, domestic talent cultivation, and the development of specialized speech-to-text models designed to support underserved populations.

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India-Nepal explore AI collaboration to boost bilateral technological ties