Meet Dewi: India's New AI Diplomat
The Indian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, has introduced 'Dewi,' an artificial intelligence-powered avatar designed to be the new digital face of the mission. Launched in October 2026 to coincide with the auspicious occasion of Navaratri, Dewi is tasked
with sharing a wide range of information with the public. Her name, which means 'goddess' in Indonesian and is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Devi,' was chosen to resonate with the shared cultural heritage of both nations. Dewi is not just a chatbot, but a virtual ambassador created to provide updates on Indian culture, travel, business opportunities, scholarships, and crucial consular services, making this information more accessible to everyone.
How Does The AI Initiative Work?
Dewi functions as an AI-powered virtual assistant, appearing in videos and on social media platforms to communicate directly with the public in both English and Bahasa Indonesia. This initiative aims to move beyond traditional, text-heavy advisories and instead use engaging audio-visual content to assist the large Indian diaspora in Indonesia—estimated at around 130,000 Persons of Indian Origin and 15,000 Non-Resident Indians—as well as Indonesian citizens interested in India. The goal is to provide clear, authentic, and easily digestible information on topics ranging from visa requirements and passport services to bilateral trade updates, directly from the embassy.
A Broader Push for Digital Diplomacy
The Dewi avatar is part of a larger trend of Indian diplomatic missions adopting technology to enhance citizen services. The initiative follows recommendations from the 11th Heads of Mission Conference, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the '3Ts': technology, trade, and tourism. Other missions have also launched similar tools. The Consulate General of India in Munich introduced an AI avatar named 'Sarathi' to address queries on passports and visas through video explainers. Similarly, the consulate in New York upgraded its long-standing chatbot, 'Bharati,' into a full-fledged virtual consular assistant. These tools are often integrated with platforms like Bhashini, a government-led AI translation tool, to overcome language barriers.
Why Use AI for Consular Services?
The primary goal of these AI initiatives is to make consular support more efficient, accessible, and citizen-centric. By automating responses to common and repetitive queries, AI chatbots and avatars free up consular staff to focus on more complex, urgent, or sensitive cases. For the public, this means getting instant, 24/7 access to verified information without navigating complex websites or waiting for office hours. As one official noted, using concise audio-visual content makes the information easier for a diverse audience to comprehend. It represents a strategic shift toward using modern communication tools to build stronger connections with the Indian diaspora and the global community.
