India‘s Confederation of Interpreting, Translation, and Localisation Businesses (CITLoB), together with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), hosted Samvād 2025: Asia’s leading international conference for the language and localization industry. The two-day event, which took place October 30 and 31, celebrated innovation, collaboration, and resilience under the theme “New Horizons in Localization — Adapting, Innovating, Thriving.”

The conference opened with remarks from CITLoB and FICCI leaders, setting the tone for discussions on how artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape localization workflows, roles, and business models. Keynote speaker Jan Hinrichs, CEO of Beluga Linguistics and founder of LocLunch, shared insights on reinventing oneself in the age of AI.

Panels explored crucial topics such as “Linguistic Quality in the Age of AI,” “Building Resilience in Times of Disruption,” and “Platforms With Purpose.” Experts from Adobe, ServiceNow, RingCentral, and industry associations including the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA), Association of Translation Companies (ATC), European Union Association of Translation Companies (EUATC), and Women in Localization offered diverse perspectives. Special sessions by Bhashini and GALA showcased India’s advances in digital language initiatives and the global shift from translation to intelligent workflows.

Day 2 opened with a keynote by Professor Girish Nath Jha, which highlighted the bridge between Indic knowledge and modern language technologies. Sessions of the day also delved into AI dubbing, rare language inclusion, and the evolving role of industry associations in fostering collaboration. Discussions on “The Evolution of the Language Industry Beyond Buzzwords” emphasized how generative AI is redefining business structures and human-machine synergy.

The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing excellence in localization, the National Translation Contest, and a vote of thanks to all sponsors, partners, and participants. Through two days of engaging conversations and collaboration, Samvād 2025 reinforced the industry’s commitment to continuous learning, community building, and leading innovation in the global language ecosystem.