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- AI Summit India 2026 Live Updates: 'AI stands at a civilisational inflection point,' PM Modi explains end goal of technology
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Feb 17, 2026, 20:21:47 IST
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AI Summit India 2026 Live Updates: 'AI stands at a civilisational inflection point,' PM Modi explains end goal of technology
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi brings together global political leaders, technology giants, startups, and researchers to deliberate on the future of artificial intelligence through the lens of inclusion, responsibility, and measurable impact. As the first major AI summit hosted in the Global South, the event underscores India’s ambition to shape global AI norms while advancing domestic capacity.
Under the IndiaAI Mission, the government has invested Rs 10,372 crore to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem. More than 38,000 GPUs have been onboarded for shared compute access, 12 indigenous foundation models are being developed, and over 30 India-specific AI applications have been approved. Talent development is central, with thousands of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students supported through targeted initiatives.
The summit features participation from more than 45 countries, with prominent leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Antonio Guterres. A strong US delegation, alongside industry executives from Microsoft, IBM, Zoom, Kyndryl, Adobe, and others, signals expanding international collaboration.
Key themes revolve around bridging the AI adoption gap between the Global North and South, building trusted and sovereign tech stacks, promoting ethical governance, and ensuring that AI augments livelihoods rather than displacing them. The AI Impact Expo, spanning over 70,000 square metres, showcases applications across agriculture, healthcare, education, and public services.
Through working groups and thematic sessions, the summit aims to produce actionable proposals, including shared compute frameworks and AI commons for public good. At its core, the event positions India as a bridge between innovation and equitable global impact.
Under the IndiaAI Mission, the government has invested Rs 10,372 crore to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem. More than 38,000 GPUs have been onboarded for shared compute access, 12 indigenous foundation models are being developed, and over 30 India-specific AI applications have been approved. Talent development is central, with thousands of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students supported through targeted initiatives.
The summit features participation from more than 45 countries, with prominent leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Antonio Guterres. A strong US delegation, alongside industry executives from Microsoft, IBM, Zoom, Kyndryl, Adobe, and others, signals expanding international collaboration.
Key themes revolve around bridging the AI adoption gap between the Global North and South, building trusted and sovereign tech stacks, promoting ethical governance, and ensuring that AI augments livelihoods rather than displacing them. The AI Impact Expo, spanning over 70,000 square metres, showcases applications across agriculture, healthcare, education, and public services.
Through working groups and thematic sessions, the summit aims to produce actionable proposals, including shared compute frameworks and AI commons for public good. At its core, the event positions India as a bridge between innovation and equitable global impact.
09:40 (IST) Feb 16
AI Summit India 2026 Live: IBM’s Sandip Patel on sovereign AI stack
Minister of State for MeitY Jitin Prasada underlined India’s participatory approach. “India's approach to AI is anchored in Jan Bhagidari positioning citizens as active participants in this transformation,” he said. He added that structured engagement across states, startups, academia, and civil society is central to broadening access to innovation.
By grounding AI in “real public needs and lived realities,” he said, India is demonstrating how citizen engagement can guide responsible development. His remarks reflect the summit’s emphasis on inclusion and bottom-up innovation.
09:36 (IST) Feb 16
‘Bringing the world together’: PM Modi hails AI Impact Summit ahead of inauguration
Ahead of the AI Summit, PM Modi said, "Starting today, India hosts the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. I warmly welcome world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the world for this Summit. The theme of the Summit is Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya or welfare for all, happiness for all, reflecting our shared commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress,"
"Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. From digital public infrastructure to a vibrant StartUp ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility," he added.
"Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. From digital public infrastructure to a vibrant StartUp ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility," he added.
09:33 (IST) Feb 16
Jitin Prasada: Citizens at heart of AI transformation
Minister of State for MeitY Jitin Prasada underlined India’s participatory approach. “India's approach to AI is anchored in Jan Bhagidari positioning citizens as active participants in this transformation,” he said. He added that structured engagement across states, startups, academia, and civil society is central to broadening access to innovation. By grounding AI in “real public needs and lived realities,” he said, India is demonstrating how citizen engagement can guide responsible development. His remarks reflect the summit’s emphasis on inclusion and bottom-up innovation.
09:32 (IST) Feb 16
Natasha Crampton flags Global North–South AI gap
Natasha Crampton of Microsoft stressed the urgency of narrowing disparities in AI adoption. “The summit arrives at a critical moment. AI is diffusing faster than any other general purpose technology in history. And yet that diffusion is uneven,” she said. “AI use in the Global North is roughly double that of what we see in the Global South.” She described the summit as “a place to drive real impact and to collaborate across sectors and borders.” Her remarks align with the summit’s focus on democratisation, equitable access, and ensuring that AI benefits are widely distributed.
09:32 (IST) Feb 16
US delegation pushes collaboration in AI and quantum
A high-powered US delegation organised by USISPF and USIBC is attending, co-led by industry leaders including Shantanu Narayen and Raj Subramaniam. White House adviser Michael Kratsios said, “Looking forward to leading the US delegation to the AI Impact Summit in India this month,” adding, “America is setting the gold standard for AI innovation, and we want to share it with our global partners.” The delegation includes more than 120 senior executives and senior US government officials. Discussions are expected to span AI infrastructure, quantum computing, critical minerals, and trusted technologies under the banner of deeper strategic collaboration.
09:32 (IST) Feb 16
Macron, Lula, Guterres headline global participation
French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among the top global figures attending the summit. Macron’s visit also ties into the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, while Lula is leading a large business delegation. Leaders from Europe, Latin America, West Asia, and Asia-Pacific are participating, reflecting broad geographic representation. The presence of such leaders signals the strategic weight attached to AI governance and cross-border innovation. Bilateral discussions are expected to cover ethical AI, technological sovereignty, climate-linked AI applications, and digital public infrastructure partnerships.
09:31 (IST) Feb 16
PM Modi: “World is coming to India” for AI future
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed delegates as the summit began, calling it “a matter of immense pride for us that people from all over the world are coming to India for the India AI Impact Summit.” In a post on X, he added, “This also shows the capability of our country's youth. This occasion is further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology and is making an important contribution to global development.” The Prime Minister is set to inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo, which runs alongside the summit. His remarks frame the event as both a diplomatic milestone and a testament to India’s growing technological capacity.
09:31 (IST) Feb 16
World leaders converge in New Delhi for AI Impact Summit
New Delhi has turned into the epicentre of global AI diplomacy as Presidents, Prime Ministers and senior ministers gather for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. The summit, the first of its kind in the Global South, aims to shape an AI future that is inclusive, responsible, and impactful. Delegations from over 45 countries are in attendance, alongside tech leaders from Silicon Valley and beyond. High-level bilateral meetings are scheduled on the sidelines, with discussions expected to focus on AI governance, trusted technologies, quantum computing, and digital infrastructure cooperation. The strong international turnout underscores India’s rising profile in the global technology landscape and signals growing interest in collaborative AI frameworks rooted in equity and sustainability.
India steps into the global spotlight as it hosts the India AI Impact Summit 2026 from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam, marking the first international AI summit in the Global South. The gathering brings together Presidents, Prime Ministers, global technology executives, startup founders, researchers, and civil society leaders for five days of deliberations on shaping an inclusive and responsible AI future.
The summit unfolds against the backdrop of India’s expanding digital public infrastructure and the government’s push to democratise technology. With the IndiaAI Mission already allocating Rs 10,372 crore to strengthen the AI ecosystem, more than 38,000 GPUs onboarded for a common compute facility, and 12 indigenous foundation models in development, the country is positioning itself as both a builder and a bridge in the AI era.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed global delegates, calling it “a matter of immense pride” that leaders from around the world are converging in India for the summit. For the government, the event is not merely diplomatic pageantry but a platform to advance the guiding pillars of People, Planet, and Progress, ensuring that AI development remains human-centric, equitable, and accountable.
World leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Petteri Orpo, Peter Pellegrini, and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan are expected to attend, alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and ministerial delegations from over 45 countries. The United States delegation, led by senior officials and industry leaders, signals a push for deeper cooperation across AI infrastructure, quantum computing, and trusted technologies.
Beyond high-level diplomacy, the summit spotlights India’s domestic capabilities. From multilingual reasoning engines and voice-first tools to AI-driven agriculture and healthcare applications, the India AI Impact Expo showcases real-world deployment at scale. With more than 800 million internet users and a fast-growing startup ecosystem, India is seeking to demonstrate that scale, innovation, and inclusion can move forward together.
Over the coming days, this live blog will track key announcements, bilateral engagements, industry perspectives, policy proposals, and on-ground developments from the summit floor.
The summit unfolds against the backdrop of India’s expanding digital public infrastructure and the government’s push to democratise technology. With the IndiaAI Mission already allocating Rs 10,372 crore to strengthen the AI ecosystem, more than 38,000 GPUs onboarded for a common compute facility, and 12 indigenous foundation models in development, the country is positioning itself as both a builder and a bridge in the AI era.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed global delegates, calling it “a matter of immense pride” that leaders from around the world are converging in India for the summit. For the government, the event is not merely diplomatic pageantry but a platform to advance the guiding pillars of People, Planet, and Progress, ensuring that AI development remains human-centric, equitable, and accountable.
World leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Petteri Orpo, Peter Pellegrini, and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan are expected to attend, alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and ministerial delegations from over 45 countries. The United States delegation, led by senior officials and industry leaders, signals a push for deeper cooperation across AI infrastructure, quantum computing, and trusted technologies.
Beyond high-level diplomacy, the summit spotlights India’s domestic capabilities. From multilingual reasoning engines and voice-first tools to AI-driven agriculture and healthcare applications, the India AI Impact Expo showcases real-world deployment at scale. With more than 800 million internet users and a fast-growing startup ecosystem, India is seeking to demonstrate that scale, innovation, and inclusion can move forward together.
Over the coming days, this live blog will track key announcements, bilateral engagements, industry perspectives, policy proposals, and on-ground developments from the summit floor.
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