The Gujarat government and Meta Platforms have signed a two-year strategic partnership to deliver public services through WhatsApp and explore artificial intelligence applications in governance, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced today in Gandhinagar.
The agreement will make nearly 20 government services accessible via a single WhatsApp chatbot available in English and Gujarati. Citizens will be able to request income, caste, and Economically Weaker Sections certificates, update ration cards, access revenue records, file official affidavits, and submit grievances through the conversational platform with voice-command capabilities. The initiative eliminates the need for residents to navigate multiple web portals or queue at government offices, officials said.
Real-time application tracking will be built into the platform, with additional services integrated in phases according to implementation metrics focused on service delivery efficiency. The project is branded as part of the state’s Sugam Digital Gujarat programme, which aims to transition high-volume public services from offline to online delivery.
Beyond the chatbot, both parties signed a Letter of Intent to explore broader AI applications and wearable hardware. A pilot programme will test Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to assist visually impaired citizens, while capacity-building initiatives will train small businesses and content creators on AI-driven tools for digital marketing and customer engagement.
“Gujarat has always been a trailblazer in digital adoption and our collaboration with Meta marks a significant step in building a robust digital infrastructure for the future,” Patel said.
Arun Srinivas, Managing Director and Country Head of Meta India, said the partnership reflects WhatsApp’s potential to bring governance closer to citizens even in the remotest parts of the country.
The agreement positions Gujarat as a testing ground for technology-enabled public administration in India, with the two-year term focused on AI integration among local enterprises and digital governance metrics. Authentication for services is based on barcodes and Aadhaar, and the system can accommodate up to one million users simultaneously.
Andhra Pradesh launched India’s first WhatsApp-based governance platform, Mana Mitra, in January 2025 in collaboration with Meta. That initiative initially offered 161 civil services and has since expanded to 738 services across 36 government departments. Each certificate issued through Mana Mitra includes a QR code linked to the state’s official portal to prevent fraud.
Tamil Nadu also signed an MoU with Meta in August 2025 for WhatsApp-based citizen services, with the first phase offering 50 essential services in Tamil and English.
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