AI Impact Summit Kicks Off Monday: How India Plans To Emerge As A Key Player In The Age Of AI

Last Updated:February 15, 2026, 22:41 IST

For India, the AI Impact Summit is about securing a seat at the global high table of technology leadership and shaping the next phase of the AI age.

India is set to host the AI Impact Summit from February 16 to 20 at the grand Bharat Mandapam, bringing together global leaders, policymakers and industry heavyweights in Artificial Intelligence.

For India, the summit is not just a high-profile gathering. It is a statement of intent. New Delhi wants to signal that it does not aim to remain merely a participant in the AI revolution, but to emerge as a key architect shaping its rules, standards and opportunities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the summit, visit the Expo and engage with global CEOs. At his invitation, several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Lula da Silva, are expected to attend.

Ministerial delegations from over 45 countries, along with the UN Secretary General and senior international officials, will also take part in the event.

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Why This Summit Matters

Artificial Intelligence has moved far beyond research labs. It is reshaping healthcare delivery, transforming agriculture, recalibrating financial markets and redefining education and work. In this context, the AI Impact Summit aims to widen the global conversation.

Earlier global meets focused strongly on AI safety and frontier risks. India is broadening the focus to highlight AI’s developmental impact — how it can drive economic growth, inclusion and sustainability. The emphasis is on “People, Planet, and Progress".

India will showcase its deep talent pool, digital public infrastructure and expanding startup ecosystem. Backed by the IndiaAI Mission’s push for compute capacity, datasets and skilling, the summit will reflect India’s strategy of balancing rapid innovation with appropriate safeguards.

IT Secretary S Krishnan has said the key message is that AI must be human-centric and inclusive. “The key message we want to send is that whatever happens with AI needs to be human-centric and inclusive. There needs to be democratic access to AI resources, and it needs to be done in a way where people are at the centre of this process," he told news agency PTI.

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Big Themes To Watch

Seven thematic working groups will present proposals on AI Commons, trusted AI tools, shared compute infrastructure and sector-specific use cases. Over 700 sessions are planned over five days, covering AI safety, governance, ethical use, data protection and sovereign AI.

There will be strong focus on indigenous foundation models for strategic sectors. Discussions will also explore how AI is changing industries and what new skills will be needed in the job market.

India, with over 65 per cent of its population under 35, sees its young workforce as a major advantage in adapting to AI-driven industries. Reskilling and AI-focused training are likely to be key talking points.

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Prominent CEOs Attending

The summit features a blockbuster list of global tech leaders. These include Sundar Pichai of Google, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Demis Hassabis of DeepMind Technologies, Dario Amodei of Anthropic and Brad Smith of Microsoft.

The presence of these influential figures places the summit at the centre of global tech deliberations. Frontier AI labs such as OpenAI and Anthropic, along with tech giants like Microsoft and Google, are expected to offer insights into the future direction of AI development.

Indian startup founders building indigenous models will also share the stage.

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Spotlight On Sovereign AI

Ahead of the summit, 12 Indian AI startups selected under the Foundation Model Pillar presented their work to the Prime Minister. Their projects range from Indian language foundation models and multilingual tools to healthcare diagnostics, engineering simulations and generative AI applications.

India’s approach is innovation-first. While acknowledging the need for regulation, the government has said it stands ready to act when required, without harming innovation.

As the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, the event also aims to bring developing nations to the AI high table. A joint declaration or roadmap for responsible AI deployment could emerge as a key outcome.

(With inputs from PTI)

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