Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) officially launched VoicERA, an open-source, end-to-end Voice AI stack. Unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the platform is designed to make the human voice the primary interface for technology in India.
VoicERA is a major expansion of the BHASHINI National Language Infrastructure, moving India beyond text translation into real-time, population-scale conversational AI.
What is VoicERA?
Described as India’s “digital ear and tongue,” VoicERA is a national execution layer for voice-based services. It allows government agencies, startups, and researchers to deploy secure, multilingual voice systems without having to build the technology from scratch.
- Open & Sovereign: It is an open-source “Digital Public Good” (like UPI or Aadhaar), ensuring that India owns its voice technology and avoids dependence on foreign vendors.
- Dialect-First: While BHASHINI supports 22 official languages, VoicERA is built to handle over 700+ dialects, ensuring a farmer in a remote district can speak in their native tongue and be understood.
- Interoperable: The “pluggable” architecture means it can be integrated into existing government helplines, WhatsApp bots, or even simple feature phones.
Key Capabilities
| Feature | Impact for Citizens |
| Multilingual Telephony | Citizens can call a toll-free number and interact with an AI that speaks and understands their local dialect. |
| Real-Time Speech (ASR) | High-fidelity Automatic Speech Recognition that converts spoken words into digital text instantly. |
| Natural Voice (TTS) | Text-to-Speech that sounds culturally resonant and natural rather than robotic. |
| On-Premise Ready | Can be deployed on local government servers to ensure sensitive citizen data never leaves the country. |
Real-World Use Cases
The government has already begun deploying VoicERA across several critical sectors:
- Agriculture: Farmers can ask about pest control, weather patterns, or subsidies using natural speech.
- Education: Students can call helplines to have study materials explained in their regional language.
- Justice: Assistance in the real-time transcription and translation of court proceedings for non-English speakers.
- Scheme Discovery: A “voice-first” way for rural citizens and the elderly to find and apply for welfare schemes without needing digital literacy.
Leadership & Collaboration
The project was led by Shri Amitabh Nag (CEO, Digital India BHASHINI Division) in collaboration with the EkStep Foundation, IIIT Bengaluru, and AI4Bharat (IIT Madras).
“It is about dignity, access, and ensuring every citizen can speak to the State and be understood. This marks the beginning of a new Voice Era, and in this era, India owns its voice.” — Amitabh Nag, CEO, Digital India BHASHINI Division.
