IndoVox

Dear Reader,
When you see Samvād 2025 with CITLoB as the host, you already know you’re in for a high calibre gathering in the language, translation, and localization space. But today, I’m writing to you with even more conviction—because in partnership with FICCI, this year’s edition is poised to break new ground.
Yes — CITLoB + FICCI together make a difference you can feel.

🚀 What the CITLoB × FICCI Partnership Brings to the Table
•    Institutional Reach & Credibility: FICCI adds national gravitas. Expect more policymakers, industry leaders, and decision-makers — all paying attention. That means your presence matters more.
•    Stronger Participation: Thanks to FICCI’s network, participation expands far beyond language firms — reaching government bodies, enterprises, startups, and digital innovators.
•    Elevated Awards & Recognition: This year’s Translation Context Awards (hosted by CITLoB) carry increased prestige. Being shortlisted under this expanded platform is a mark of national recognition.
•    Policy Bridges & Influence: FICCI’s voice in policy can push localization and language tech agendas into the spotlight. Your insights can contribute directly to national conversations.

✨ Why YOU Should Be There (Now More Than Ever)
•    Be Seen & Heard Where It Counts: Samvād brings you face-to-face with the people shaping our future — from boardrooms to ministries to innovation labs.
•    Turn Awards into Opportunity : Winning or even being shortlisted can transform your credibility — with clients, partners, and institutions.
•    Lead the Dialogue, Don’t Just Watch It: Sessions at Samvād shape strategy and systems — and this year, your voice could inform policy.
•    Network with Purpose: Meet collaborators across tech, education, enterprise, and government — This isn’t a single-track industry meet.

🛎 Act Now — Your Move Matters

1. Register as a Delegate: Seats are limited — and this year’s FICCI backing makes it more competitive than ever.

2. Nominate for Awards: Be seen. Be recognized. Be celebrated. Multiple categories now open.

3. Book a Stall or Sponsor: Only a few slots remain — position your brand at the centre of India’s multilingual evolution.

4. Plan Your Pitch: Come with clear goals — conversations to start, collaborations to pursue, ideas to scale. 

5. Share with Your Network: Help amplify this summit across your circles. The more we bring in, the stronger the impact.

📌 Samvād 2025 — What to Expect

Expert Panels & Keynotes: Deep dives into AI, NLP, accessibility, cross-cultural content, and more.

Innovation Expo: Breakthrough tech, tools, and language service providers on display.

Workshops & Training Labs: Real-world, practical sessions you can apply directly to your work.

 Speed Networking: Fast-paced, curated, high-value professional connections.

Awards Night : Celebrate the best in the industry — with an experience to remember.

Optional Heritage Tours: Explore Delhi (Oct 29) and Agra/Taj Mahal (Nov 1) — curated for international and domestic delegates.

📅 Mark Your Calendar
🗓 October 30–31, 2025
📍 New Delhi, India
🔗 Register Now 

Samvād 2025 isn’t just a conference — it’s a platform of influence, a space for co-creation, and a launchpad for real change in India’s multilingual ecosystem.

I hope to see you there — not just as an attendee, but as a catalyst.

Warm regards,
Editorial Desk | Samvād 2025

India’s Language Localization Landscape in 2025: Growth, AI, and the Vernacular Wave
India’s language localization and translation industry in 2025 is at a pivotal moment. With one of the world’s fastest-growing digital populations and a surge in demand for vernacular content, localization has shifted from a support function to a core business strategy.

Digital adoption drives vernacular demand
India crossed more than 800 million internet users in 2025, with some estimates placing the number above 900 million. What’s striking is not just the scale, but the audience profile: new users are overwhelmingly rural, semi-urban, and non-English speaking. Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Odia, and Punjabi dominate growth. This means businesses that want to connect meaningfully must deliver digital experiences in local languages—be it through apps, websites, or customer support.

OTT and media localization surge
A standout trend this year has been the boom in streaming. India’s OTT audience hit 601 million, with 148 million paid subscriptions. That translates into unprecedented demand for subtitling, dubbing, metadata translation, and culturally adapted marketing assets. Short-form video and connected TV add to the wave, making audiovisual localization one of the fastest-expanding niches. Voice actors, subtitlers, and regional script experts are now in short supply, underlining how human creativity remains critical even in the age of AI.

AI becomes mainstream in translation
If 2024 was the year enterprises experimented with AI-driven translation, 2025 is the year it became standard practice. Neural machine translation (NMT) and large language models (LLMs) are now embedded in most workflows, producing first-draft translations that are then polished through machine translation post-editing (MTPE). This hybrid model—AI for scale, humans for nuance—balances cost, speed, and quality. Enterprises increasingly integrate translation management systems directly with CMS platforms and marketing automation, enabling “always localized” digital experiences.

New use cases beyond traditional content
Localization is no longer just about websites and brochures. In 2025, demand extends to in-app notifications, chatbots, product descriptions, voice assistants, and even micro-copy for social media. Edtech platforms localize courses to reach learners in their native tongue, while government and civic bodies invest in regionalized digital outreach. The expectation is simple: users want to consume content in the language they are most comfortable with—and businesses that fail to deliver risk being left behind.

Challenges on the horizon
Despite momentum, several challenges persist. AI still struggles with idioms, domain-specific terminology, and low-resource dialects, making quality assurance vital. India’s script diversity—think multiple scripts for the same language—adds complexity. Finally, as more enterprises feed sensitive content into AI tools, data privacy and security have become boardroom issues, driving interest in enterprise-grade or on-premise models.

What’s next?
The localization market in India is no longer a side note to global strategy—it is central to growth. In 2026, we can expect enterprises to deepen their investment in vernacular UX, expand talent pipelines for MTPE and media localization, and measure localization ROI not just by cost per word, but by engagement, conversion, and watch-time.
India’s linguistic diversity has always been a challenge; in 2025, it is also the country’s greatest commercial opportunity. Those who localize smartly, blending AI efficiency with human expertise, are positioned to win the next billion consumers.

Looking ahead: Join the conversation at SAMVAD 2025
Given the above landscape, it is important for India’s language industry stakeholders to participate in shaping what comes next. SAMVAD 2025 is offering networking opportunities with government representatives and international industry leaders that are hard to come by. More importantly, however, it’s offering something even more valuable: the chance to think through these challenges together, with people who understand what’s at stake.
👉 You can find all the details and register here: https://citlob.in/samvad-2025.html
 
Madhu Sundaramurthy.
Vice President - CITLoB 

Enhance your Samvād 2025 experience!

Take a journey through India’s rich cultural heritage with our self-funded, optional heritage tours in Delhi and Agra — curated exclusively for Samvād 2025 participants.

📅 Tour Dates:

• 29th October 2025 (Pre-conference) – Discover the historic heart of Delhi: ancient forts, bustling bazaars, and timeless architecture.

• 1st November 2025 (Post-conference) – Witness the grandeur of Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal and other Mughal marvels.

📍 These tours are self-funded and require prior registration.

👉 Interested?
Email us at asst.secretary@citlob.in to register your interest.

🔗 Book your tour now:
https://citlob.in/samvad-2025.php#agra