India has begun hosting a major global artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi, drawing top executives from leading technology companies and signals Delhi’s growing ambition to shape the future of AI development and governance. The India AI Impact Summit 2026, taking place from February 16 to 20 at the Bharat Mandapam convention centre, marks the first time a summit of this scale is being held in the Global South, aiming to broaden the global conversation around AI and its societal impacts.
Executives from major technology firms including OpenAI and Google are attending the event alongside other industry leaders. The summit is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors and bring together a wide range of stakeholders from industry, government and civil society. India has positioned the summit as an opportunity not only to discuss technological innovation but also to advance global cooperation on AI applications, ethics and governance.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised the importance of harnessing AI for inclusive development and economic growth, framing the summit around themes that highlight technology’s potential to drive welfare and opportunity for all. The event has catalysed increased investment interest, with technology firms announcing significant long‑term commitments to India’s AI ecosystem, including substantial pledges in AI and cloud infrastructure investments by 2030.
While India has not yet emerged as a developer of frontier AI systems at the same scale as some Western peers, the government is pushing for application‑led innovation and large‑scale adoption of AI tools across the economy. ChatGPT usage in India alone has reached tens of millions of daily users by late 2025, underscoring the country’s potential as a large market for AI technologies.
The summit is also taking place against the backdrop of broader global debates about the societal effects of AI. Policymakers and industry leaders are expected to discuss issues ranging from workforce transition and job displacement to ethical deployment and safety standards for advanced AI systems. India’s role as host reflects a strategic effort to influence global AI policy discussions and ensure the perspectives and priorities of developing economies are included in shaping international norms.
Leave a comment