As the India AI Impact Summit 2026 entered its second day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that the event serves as a platform to explore how Artificial Intelligence can be harnessed for the universal benefit of humanity. Highlighting the summit’s core philosophy, the Prime Minister noted that intelligence and rationality are the driving forces that make science and technology truly useful to the public.
The five-day event, running from February 16 to 20, marks a historic milestone as the first global convening of this magnitude on AI to be hosted in the Global South. It has drawn an unprecedented gathering of over 20 heads of state, 60 ministers, and 500 global AI leaders, including CEOs and renowned researchers.
Key Highlights of the Summit
The summit is structured around a development-oriented framework focused on three foundational pillars—People, Planet, and Progress.
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Flagship Challenges: The event features three major global impact challenges—AI for ALL, AI by HER, and YUVAi. These initiatives have collectively received over 4,650 applications from 60 countries, aiming to accelerate scalable AI solutions for healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable development.
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International Collaboration: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in India to participate in the summit and hold bilateral talks with PM Modi. The two leaders are set to officially launch the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, further strengthening strategic ties in deep-tech and digital sovereignty.
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Academic Excellence: A Research Symposium, organized in partnership with IIT Hyderabad, is being held to deliberate on AI-driven scientific discovery and governance frameworks, featuring participants like Estonia’s President Alar Karis.
Strategic Vision and Future Outlook
The summit is more than a diplomatic meeting; it is a declaration of India’s intent to become a global hub for responsible AI innovation. With the Prime Minister scheduled to deliver the inaugural address on February 19, the tone remains focused on global cooperation and ethical AI deployment.
The IndiaAI Mission is also unveiling 12 indigenous foundation models during the expo, tailored to India’s official languages and trained on vast domestic datasets. This move aligns with India’s goal to strengthen governance and transform public service delivery as part of the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision.
