HDFC Bank Backs BharatGPT Creator CoRover in Major AI Investment; CEO Says, “Honoured to Have the Trust of HDFC”

In a significant boost to India’s indigenous AI innovation, HDFC Bank has invested in CoRover, the creator of BharatGPT — a groundbreaking multilingual and multimodal large language model (LLM) developed entirely in India for India. This partnership marks a crucial milestone in scaling AI solutions tailored for India’s diverse linguistic landscape and expanding AI accessibility across critical sectors.

CoRover: The AI Pioneer Powering BharatGPT

CoRover is a leading AI company that builds conversational AI agents such as VideoBots, VoiceBots, ChatBots, and Telephony AI solutions. Their technology is powered by BharatGPT, a large language model designed to understand multiple Indian languages, dialects, and contexts, making it uniquely suited to India’s vast and varied user base.

Boasting a user base of over 1 billion and onboarding more than 25,000 enterprises and developers, CoRover is driving AI adoption across sectors by offering intelligent conversational agents that cater to vernacular and domain-specific needs.

Why HDFC Bank Chose CoRover

Arup Rakshit, Group Head Treasury at HDFC Bank, highlighted the significance of BharatGPT’s multilingual capabilities:
“Development of BharatGPT, which enables exchange of information in multiple Indian languages for a diverse country like India, set apart CoRover for us. We value the expertise of CoRover, catering to the unique vernacular requirements.”

Rakshit also emphasized HDFC’s role in supporting innovation through the IndiaAI Startups Global Accelerator Programme, which CoRover is part of. This program, conducted in collaboration with global institutions like Station F, Paris, and HEC Paris, helps startups accelerate international growth and impact.

CEO Ankush Sabharwal: A Shared Vision for Sovereign, Inclusive AI

Expressing his enthusiasm, Ankush Sabharwal, Founder and CEO of CoRover, said:
“We are honoured to have the trust and support of HDFC Bank, along with other investors, as we expand the reach and impact of BharatGPT. This partnership signals a shared commitment to building AI that is sovereign, secure, inclusive, and capable of scaling across India’s most critical sectors.”

Sabharwal’s statement reflects a strong focus on developing AI solutions that respect data sovereignty and are designed to meet the diverse needs of India’s population.

Government Initiatives Boosting AI Innovation

CoRover acknowledges the crucial role of government policies and initiatives like the IndiaAI Mission, which foster innovation and offer startups opportunities such as the prestigious IndiaAI Startups Global acceleration program. This initiative provides critical support for startups to grow domestically and internationally, positioning India as a global AI innovation hub.

BharatGPT: Transforming AI Accessibility Across India

CoRover’s platform enables enterprises to deploy AI agents rapidly across multiple channels — voice, video, and chat — all seamlessly integrated with BharatGPT’s deep language understanding.

A recent breakthrough, BharatGPT Mini, allows AI functionalities to operate on low-end devices and even without internet connectivity, through Telephony AI. This innovation dramatically increases AI accessibility in infrastructure-limited areas, empowering rural and underserved populations with cutting-edge technology.

What This Investment Means for India’s AI Future

HDFC Bank’s investment in CoRover underscores growing confidence in homegrown AI startups capable of addressing India’s unique linguistic and infrastructural challenges. By backing BharatGPT and its platform, HDFC Bank is not just supporting a tech company but endorsing the vision of inclusive, secure, and sovereign AI that can transform how Indians interact with technology.

As AI becomes a key driver of economic growth and innovation, partnerships like this set the stage for India to lead in developing AI solutions that are truly built for its people.

The collaboration between HDFC Bank and CoRover signals a new chapter in India’s AI journey — one where locally developed technology meets global ambition. With BharatGPT’s ability to converse in multiple Indian languages and function even in low-connectivity environments, the future of AI in India looks more inclusive and accessible than ever.

This partnership not only enhances AI capabilities but also strengthens India’s position on the global AI map, promising smarter, more connected experiences for millions across the country.