NEW DELHI: India is poised to become the epicenter of global artificial intelligence discussions as India hosts the AI Impact Summit 2026, a pivotal event aimed at shifting the focus from theoretical dialogues to tangible, real-world applications of AI.
This summit, marking the first major global AI gathering in the Global South, underscores India’s growing leadership in leveraging technology for equitable development and planetary well-being.
Invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the event will bring together heads of state, policymakers, industry titans, and innovators to chart a course for AI that prioritizes human dignity, environmental sustainability, and shared prosperity.
The summit is scheduled to run from February 16 to 20, 2026, at the Bharat Mandapam convention center in New Delhi. Spanning five days, it will encompass a comprehensive program including policy deliberations, research symposia, industry showcases, and public engagement activities.
With over 35,000 global registrations and participation anticipated from more than 100 countries, the event reflects a phenomenal international response, as highlighted by Indian officials.
Core Objectives and Guiding Principles
At its heart, the AI Impact Summit 2026 is designed to democratize AI access, foster inclusive development, and ensure ethical innovation benefits all of humanity.
The summit’s overarching theme, “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya – Welfare for All, Happiness of All,” is anchored in three foundational sutras: People, Planet, and Progress. Under the People sutra, AI is positioned to serve humanity’s diversity, preserving dignity and promoting inclusivity. The Planet sutra emphasizes environmental stewardship through energy-efficient AI and solutions for climate challenges. Progress focuses on equitable sharing of AI’s benefits to drive global development and prosperity.
Thematic Focus Areas: The Seven Chakras
Building on these principles, the summit organizes discussions around seven chakras, or thematic working groups, to facilitate global cooperation.
•Human Capital: Skill development and workforce transitions
•Inclusion for Social Empowerment: Ensuring diverse representation
•Safe and Trusted AI: Transparency and accountability
•Science: Accelerating research collaborations
•Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency: Promoting sustainable technologies
•Democratizing AI Resources: Ensuring equitable access to tools
•AI for Economic Development and Social Good: Boosting productivity and societal benefits
These chakras will address critical shifts in the AI ecosystem, such as stronger data governance, diversified architectures, and sector-specific deployments, particularly in healthcare, agriculture, education, and energy. Over 700 session proposals have been received, indicating robust engagement from stakeholders worldwide.
Prominent Attendees: Global Leaders and Heads of State
The summit will feature an impressive lineup of approximately 20 heads of state and government.
•Emmanuel Macron: President of France
•Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: President of Brazil
•Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan: Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates
•Tshering Tobgay: Prime Minister of Bhutan
•Andrej Plenković: Prime Minister of Croatia
•Petteri Orpo: Prime Minister of Finland
•Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Prime Minister of Greece
•Olzhas Bektenov: Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
•Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam: Prime Minister of Mauritius
•Dick Schoof: Prime Minister of the Netherlands
•Alar Karis: President of Estonia
•Aleksandar Vučić: President of Serbia
•Peter Pellegrini: President of Slovakia
•Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón: President of Spain
•Anura Kumara Disanayaka: President of Sri Lanka
•Guy Parmelin: President of Switzerland
•Edmand Lara Montano: Vice President of Bolivia
•Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo: Vice President of Guyana
•Sebastien Pillay: Vice President of Seychelles
•Alois: Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
Ministerial delegations from over 45 countries will join, alongside the United Nations Secretary-General and senior officials from international organizations. In total, nearly 100 countries are expected to be represented, fostering a truly global dialogue.
Industry Titans and Key Speakers
Adding to the summit’s prestige, more than 100 global CEOs and tech leaders are slated to attend, including Google’s Sundar Pichai, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, Microsoft’s President Brad Smith, and Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon. Other visionaries include Bill Gates from the Gates Foundation, Meta’s Yann LeCun, and Indian industry stalwarts like Reliance’s Mukesh D. Ambani and Infosys’ Nandan Nilekani.
Detailed Agenda and Structure
The agenda kicks off with plenary sessions and keynotes, progressing to thematic discussions and working group deliberations. On February 17, the government will release the AI Compendium, a collection of case studies showcasing AI applications in key sectors.
The event culminates on February 20 with the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Council meeting. Additional highlights include an interdisciplinary research symposium, international research showcases, and poster sessions featuring innovations from the Global South.
International partners like the World Bank will contribute through side events on topics such as AI for equitable health systems, democratizing AI infrastructure, and linking AI to economic growth, emphasizing “small AI” solutions for low-resource settings.
Initiatives, Competitions, and Build-Up Events
To spur innovation, the summit features competitions like AI for ALL and AI by HER, offering top prizes of Rs 2.50 crore for pilot-ready and women-led AI solutions, respectively. Youth-focused programs include YUVAi for young innovators aged 13-21 and the India AI Tinkerpreneur bootcamp. Casebooks on AI in health, energy, gender empowerment, education, agriculture, and accessibility will also be highlighted.
In preparation, Indian missions worldwide organized over 80 build-up events, with more than 480 pre-summit activities engaging 301,000 participants. These included forums on AI in education, quantum-AI ethics, and digital transformation across locations from Delhi to Hanoi.
The India AI Impact Expo
A major attraction is the India AI Impact Expo, spanning over 70,000 square meters with more than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries across 10 thematic pavilions. This expo will demonstrate AI’s evolution from research to large-scale deployment, focusing on responsible intelligence for global good.
Insights from Officials
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “The upcoming India-AI Impact Summit is the first-ever global AI Summit to be hosted in the Global South. The theme of this summit is ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya – Welfare for All, Happiness of All’ and is based on 3 sutras or guiding principles-people, planet and progress.” Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw described the response as “phenomenal”, with participation expected from nearly 100 countries.
As the world grapples with AI’s rapid advancement, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 stands as a beacon for collaborative, impact-oriented progress, aligning with India’s vision of technology as a force for universal welfare.
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