CITLoB exists because India's language industry — vast, talented, multilingual to its core — needed a single, credible body to represent it on the world stage. This is our story, our mission, and the people who steer it.
India is, by any measure, the world's most linguistically rich country. Twenty-two scheduled languages, hundreds of recognised dialects, a hundred million people working professionally with words across translation, interpretation, dubbing, subtitling and localisation. And yet, for years, this industry had no national table to gather around.
We founded CITLoB in 2019 to be that table. Not as a regulator. Not as a gatekeeper. But as a confederation — a place where independent businesses, freelancers, academics and language-technology innovators could come together to learn from each other, advocate for the industry, and present a unified Indian face to global partners.
In six years we have grown from a handful of founder companies into a network spanning 25+ member organisations, hundreds of freelancers, and partnerships with every major global association in our field — GALA, ATC, EUATC, ELIA, AALC, JUNTOS, Women in Localization, FICCI, Slator, Nimdzi, CSA Research, MultiLingual.
Our flagship conference, Samvād, has run successfully for five editions. Our Special Interest Groups bring together specialists in MT, AI, interpreting and academic research. Our newsletter reaches every corner of the Indian language ecosystem each month.
If you work with words, signs or speech in any of India's languages — there is a place for you here.
To bring together every organisation and professional working in translation, interpretation, localisation and language technology — and to give them a credible national platform.
An India where the language-services sector is recognised as world-class, where Indian companies sit confidently among global peers, and where every Indian language has commercial and cultural reach.
We are member-led, voluntarily run, and funded only by membership fees. We exist to be useful to our members — not to grow for its own sake.
Five Indian language-services companies — BITS India, Braahmam, Crystal Hues, Fidel Softech and Vernac — convene in Pune to formally establish the Confederation as a national not-for-profit.
The inaugural Samvād conference takes place. CITLoB signs its first MoUs with GALA, ATC and Women in Localization — opening Indian membership to global discount and event networks.
SIGs are formed around Machine Translation, Interpreting, Academic Research and Multimedia Localization, each led by member volunteers.
CITLoB joins FICCI's services council and begins formal engagement with Indian government bodies on the National Translation Mission.
Affiliations are added with EUATC, ELIA, JUNTOS and TINA — bringing Indian members into the European and Latin American industry conversations.
The 4th Samvād — the first fully in-person edition since the pandemic — draws strong industry participation. Membership crosses 25 active LSPs and 100+ freelancers.
New Delhi hosts Samvād 2025 — 200+ delegates, 25+ speakers, 95% satisfaction. The website is rebuilt with a member portal, gated directory and online membership flow.
The 6th Samvād lands at Holiday Inn, Mumbai on 26–27 October 2026 under the theme Beyond Borders: AI, Language & the Future of Global Content — two days across the business of multilingual growth and the technology powering global Indian expansion.
As a not-for-profit, CITLoB is led by an elected Executive Board, supported by the Founder Directors who started the confederation and an Advisory Council of industry leaders. All roles are voluntary and unpaid.
Strategic Advisor | Global Content, Localization, Quality & AI Transformation, Sankeshwari Deo L10N Consulting
in / linkedin →
Assistant Secretariat - CITLoB
Years of quiet, behind-the-scenes work keeping CITLoB on its feet — the effort no one sees, and everyone relies on.
in / linkedin →CITLoB actively works with leading international and Indian organisations to strengthen industry standards, networking and opportunities. These partnerships ensure our members stay connected with global trends and best practices.
Globalization & Localization Association — the world's largest non-profit association for language and translation companies.
Association of Translation Companies — the UK's national body, with reciprocal benefits for CITLoB members.
European Union of Associations of Translation Companies — a 25-country federation.
European Language Industry Association — events, networking, and pan-European industry intelligence.
Australasian Association of Language Companies — connecting India with APAC peers.
Latin American language-industry network — Spanish & Portuguese reach for CITLoB members.
Translated in Argentina — Argentina's language-industry association, opening Latin American collaboration.
A global community supporting women in the localisation industry — active chapters across India.
Informal localisation-industry meet-ups happening in cities worldwide — open conversations over a meal.
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry — CITLoB participates in the FICCI services council.
Industry news, intelligence and market data on the global language-services sector.
The leading publication for the language-services industry — covering localisation, translation and language technology.
Boutique market-research and consulting firm focused on the language-services industry.
Independent market-intelligence firm covering localisation, globalisation and language-technology markets.
