NEW DELHI: The India AI Impact Summit 2026 commenced on Monday at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, marking the first global AI gathering hosted in the Global South.
Anchored on three foundational pillars, or ‘Sutras’–People, Planet, and Progress–and structured around seven thematic ‘Chakras’, the Summit aims to foster inclusive, development-oriented, and responsible artificial intelligence (AI) while strengthening international cooperation.
For People, AI-enabled solutions are empowering citizens by expanding healthcare access through telemedicine and diagnostics, personalising education through adaptive learning, and securing financial systems through fraud detection.
For the Planet, AI is enabling smarter, more sustainable agricultural practices through crop prediction, precision farming, and drone-based monitoring.
For Progress, AI is strengthening governance by translating court judgements, improving service delivery, and enhancing everyday efficiency through applications in food delivery, mobility, and personalised digital services, reflecting a shift towards inclusive and accessible technology for both rural and urban India.
The seven ‘Chakras’ guiding the Summit focus on critical areas including Human Capital, Inclusion for Social Empowerment, Safe and Trusted AI, Resilience, Innovation and Efficiency, Science, democratising AI Resources, and AI for Economic Growth & Social Good, ensuring multilateral cooperation and practical outcomes for society.
Over 20 Heads of State, 60 Ministers, and 500 global AI leaders, including policymakers, researchers, startups, and technology innovators, are participating in the five-day event, which runs from February 16 to 20.
The Summit seeks to translate AI deliberations into actionable solutions under the IndiaAI Mission and the Digital India initiative.
The summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscoring India’s commitment to responsible and inclusive Artificial Intelligence.
Prime Minister, earlier in a post on X, emphasised the theme of the summit, which is “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya”, meaning welfare for all, happiness for all, reflecting India’s shared commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to deliver the inaugural address at the summit on Thursday, February 19, setting the stage for strengthened global collaboration and advancing India’s vision for inclusive, trusted, and development-oriented AI.
Global leaders, policymakers, industry experts, and innovators convened today to discuss the transformative potential of AI and address its risks, governance challenges, and impact on jobs, industries, and society.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw raised concerns over the darker side of AI, particularly the growing threat of misinformation, disinformation and deepfakes.
Speaking during a fireside conversation titled ‘Rewarding Our Creative Future in the Age of AI’ with Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, Vaishnaw stressed the need for global technical and legal solutions.
“Innovation without trust is a liability,” the minister said, adding that the government is working on regulations mandating watermarking and labelling of AI-generated content to safeguard the authenticity of human creativity.
Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada underlined that India’s AI ambitions extend beyond national boundaries and said that India aims to serve as a technology partner not only for itself but for the wider world.
Addressing the economic implications of AI, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said that the impact of AI on India’s future will depend on deliberate policy choices.
Speaking virtually at a session on employability in the AI age, he asserted that AI’s outcomes would not be accidental and must align with mass employability and inclusive growth.
Echoing similar sentiments, Info Edge Founder and Executive Vice Chairman Sanjeev Bikhchandani said AI is enhancing productivity rather than eliminating jobs and urged young professionals to adopt AI tools, cautioning that those who fail to adapt may be left behind.
Industry leaders also highlighted AI’s transformative role in manufacturing and MSMEs.
Dilip Sawhney, Chairman of CII’s National Committee on Smart Manufacturing and Managing Director of Rockwell Automation India, said AI-powered smart factories, predictive maintenance and real-time analytics are strengthening India’s global competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Gaurav Kataria of ITC Ltd emphasised that micro, small and medium enterprises must remain central to India’s AI strategy to unlock value in manufacturing and accelerate growth.
International delegates also acknowledged India’s leadership in shaping global AI governance. Dov Greenbaum of Reichman University in Israel described the Summit as a historic opportunity for the Global South to shape the AI discourse.
Duncan Cass-Beggs of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) said India has a crucial role in fostering international cooperation on AI risks and governance frameworks.
From the US, Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, highlighted India’s pivotal role in making AI affordable, scalable and accessible, noting the strong participation of American companies and Indian-American technology leaders.
Canada’s Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Victor Fedeli, outlined a twofold focus at the Summit–understanding AI’s vast potential across sectors and ensuring that AI is safe by default and inclusive by design — and stressed the importance of building AI literacy among youth, parents, and educators.
UNICEF India Representative Cynthia McCaffrey described AI as a “tremendous opportunity” for children’s learning and development while emphasising that safeguards must be embedded in systems from the outset.
The Summit will also feature three flagship Global Impact Challenges–AI for ALL, AI by HER, and YUVAi–aimed at identifying scalable AI solutions aligned with national priorities and global development goals.
The India AI Impact Expo, running alongside the Summit, hosts more than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries across 10 thematic pavilions, demonstrating the transition of AI from research to large-scale deployment.
The Summit also includes the Research Symposium on AI and Its Impact on February 18, organised in partnership with IIIT Hyderabad, which will feature around 250 research submissions from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
An official release said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key enabler of India’s development journey, strengthening governance and transforming public service delivery in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
The Expo is being held across 10 arenas covering more than 70,000 square metres and hosts global technology companies, startups, academia, research institutions, Union Ministries, State Governments, and international partners.
Thirteen country pavilions are highlighting international collaboration in the AI ecosystem, including participation from Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and African nations.
Through structured policy dialogue, sectoral showcases, and collaborative knowledge platforms, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 reinforces India’s emergence as a global hub for responsible, development-oriented AI, fostering scalable solutions for inclusive growth and the public good.
The Summit also spotlighted Indian AI and gaming startups, including Yesgnome, Metasports (Hitwicket), Koyozo, Youth Buzz (Ourcadium) and Evivve, showcasing innovations in AI-powered gaming and immersive technologies.
The Expo is expected to attract over 2.5 lakh visitors, including international delegates, and aims to foster global partnerships and business opportunities within the AI ecosystem.
In addition, more than 500 sessions featuring over 3,250 speakers and panellists will be conducted during the event.
Under the IndiaAI Mission, the country is unveiling 12 indigenous foundation models developed by homegrown startups and consortia, trained on vast Indian datasets and tailored to the nation’s 22 official languages.
For India, a nation projected to see its AI market surge past USD 17 billion by 2027, this summit is more than a diplomatic triumph – it’s a declaration of intent.
With 800 million internet users, a booming startup scene, and world-class digital public infrastructure, India is positioning itself as the bridge between innovation and impact. (With inputs from ANI)
