Abu Dhabi's G42 launches Hindi LLM in boost to India’s AI tech ecosystem

The announcement was made at the UAE-India Business Forum, attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Mumbai

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, at the India-UAE Business Forum in Mumbai. Abu Dhabi Media Office

Abu Dhabi artificial intelligence and cloud company G42 is launching its Hindi large language model, that is expected to boost the growth of India’s artificial intelligence industry and enhance G42's global expansion.

G42 presented its Hindi LLM, called Nanda, during the India-UAE Business Forum in Mumbai attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Tuesday.

Nanda has been developed to “benefit local communities and drive the adoption of advanced technologies and support the growth of India’s AI ecosystem”.

Nanda is a 13-billion parameter model. In the context of AI, a parameter is a variable that can help increase the accuracy of large language model predictions.

Nanda refers to one of India’s highest peaks, and is the result of a collaboration between Inception (a G42 company), Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Cerebras Systems.

Nanda’s “release will mark a significant milestone in the realm of AI for India, offering over half a billion Hindi language speakers the opportunity to harness the potential of generative AI,” G42 said in a separate statement.

Sheikh Khaled, also Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, arrived in India on Sunday, accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials, business leaders and prominent economic partners from the UAE.

During the forum, Sheikh Khaled emphasised the importance of the UAE-India comprehensive economic partnership agreement in driving bilateral economic growth.

He also reiterated the UAE's commitment to strengthening economic relations with India, facilitating cross-border trade, and improving access to key markets through a conducive and business-friendly environment.

The forum was held as part of a diverse and comprehensive agenda during the official visit of Sheikh Khaled to India.

The event, organised by the UAE Ministry of Economy and the UAE embassy in India, in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, focused on key sectors such as healthcare, biotechnology, renewable energy, sustainability, AI, logistics and supply chains, and agricultural technology.

Boost to UAE-India economic ties 

During the forum, Abu Dhabi’s LuLu Group collaborated with the India's Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority to procure and import organic produce from India to the UAE, Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

Additionally, AD Ports Group, the operator of industrial cities and free zones in Abu Dhabi, partnered with India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways to create a virtual trade corridor connecting both countries.

International Resources Holding RSC, a UAE-based natural resources extraction company, entered into a partnership agreement with Oil India, Khanij Bidesh India, and ONGC Videsh. This partnership aims to use the collective expertise of the companies to identify, acquire, and develop assets on a global scale.

Aircraft maintenance company Global Jet Technic, another UAE company, entered into agreements with three Indian airlines – InterGlobe Aviation Services, Air India, and Akasa Air – to provide aircraft line maintenance services for their fleets at UAE’s international airports, including Zayed International Airport.

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry also partnered with the Confederation of Indian Industry to strengthen investment opportunities for the private sector in both the UAE and India.

This collaboration aims to assist in the exchange of crucial information on economic development, fostering greater commercial co-operation and expanding avenues for economic and industrial growth. Additionally, the agreement includes the expansion of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Business Connect Platform.

Finally, Rorix Holdings, a global trading and trade assistance company, signed an agreement with Indian logistics company Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone to integrate advanced technologies into India’s infrastructure.

The UAE delegation at the India-UAE Business Forum was headed by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade. The delegation included senior representatives from prominent UAE-based entities across various public and private sectors.

“The forum will build on the consistent rise in bilateral non-oil trade, which reached $28.2 billion in the first six months of 2024 – a 9.8 per cent increase on the same period in 2023 and set against a marked decline in trade growth around the world in H1 2024,” Dr Al Zeyoudi said.

The UAE and India signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in February 2022 to boost trade ties. The Cepa helped non-oil trade between the countries to increase by 5.8 per cent to $50.5 billion in the first 12 months after it took effect in May 2022. The countries hope the agreement will help them boost trade to $100 billion by 2030.

Benefits of the Cepa include enhanced market access, lower or eliminated tariff rules, simpler customs procedures, clear and transparent rules, and rule-based competition.

The Emirates has been focusing heavily on diversifying its economy away from oil by developing sectors such as technology, manufacturing, tourism, trade and innovation. Its non-oil foreign trade hit a record Dh1.4 trillion ($381 billion) in the first six months of this year, as it continues to forge closer trade ties with partners around the world.