India leads Global AI Revolution: PM

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 kicks off in New Delhi, uniting 3,250+ speakers and 500 sessions to democratize AI access, foster innovation, and build global frameworks for responsible tech—promising welfare for all through human-centric progress.

metro india news  I hyderabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has positioned India as a global beacon in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, emphasizing the nation's ambitious yet responsible strides in harnessing this technology for universal welfare. PM Modi declared, "Bringing the world together to discuss AI! 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."

Under the profound theme "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya"—welfare for all, happiness for all—the summit reflects India's commitment to AI-driven, human-centric advancement. PM Modi highlighted how AI is reshaping critical sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and enterprise, fostering innovation, collaboration, and ethical deployment. "I am confident that the outcomes of the Summit will help shape a future that is progressive, innovative and opportunity-driven," he affirmed.

PM Modi on Monday inaugurated the week-long India AI Impact Expo 2026, which runs parallel to the summit from February 16-20. During his visit to the expo, the Prime Minister toured cutting-edge displays from global giants including Google, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Indian innovators. The expo, themed around "People, Planet, and Progress," features over 300 exhibitions and 13 country pavilions, showcasing AI's transformative potential—from sustainable solutions to inclusive growth. PM Modi's presence underscored India's digital public infrastructure, vibrant startup ecosystem, and pioneering research as pillars of its AI leadership.

In an exclusive interview to news agencies ahead of the event, PM Modi reiterated India's readiness to host the world's data and spearhead the next tech wave. "We invite the whole world's data to reside in India!" he proclaimed, spotlighting recent Budget tax incentives aimed at slashing costs for advanced data facilities and cementing India's status as a competitive global hub. These measures, he noted, will accelerate investments, drawing commitments from tech behemoths like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft for expansive data centers.

The summit's global outreach builds on predecessors—the UK's 2023 AI Safety Summit and France's 2025 edition—shifting focus to equitable access and shared frameworks. India aims to champion "global AI commons," a repository of sector-specific use cases for the Global South, while advocating for sovereign compute and trusted AI at scale.

Summit draws Unprecedented Crowd

The world's largest AI summit burst into life with electrifying energy, as packed halls and serpentine queues testified to the global fervor for AI's promise. Opening at 9:30 AM, Bharat Mandapam was besieged by throngs of tech moguls, policymakers, founders, and enthusiasts, with huge welcome billboards dotting New Delhi's skyline amplifying the hype. Registrations soared beyond expectations, signaling explosive interest in AI infrastructure, enterprise adoption, and ethical governance.

Multiple parallel sessions overflowed to capacity, forcing doors to shut and spilling participants into corridors for fervent networking. "Sessions are packed. There are long queues, and once the halls fill up, doors are closed," shared one attendee, underscoring the need to arrive early. Buzz centered on powerhouse panels dissecting AI's impact on employability, skilling, generative AI deployment, public sector applications, and safe scaling—drawing standing-room-only crowds.

High-profile luminaries like Alphabet's Sundar Pichai, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and Anthropic's Dario Amodei are slated for Wednesday, while February 19-20 promises over 20 heads of state, including France's Emmanuel Macron and Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, alongside PM Modi, for high-stakes dialogues on AI's future. With 3,250 speakers across 500 sessions, the event is a crucible for ideas, positioning India to democratize AI, fortify digital ecosystems, and forge international pacts on responsible innovation.

As queues snaked through the venue and enthusiasm peaked despite the star arrivals' delay, one participant quipped, "There's a lot of buzz around AI—you have to be there well in advance. One cannot float around like in other conferences." Organizers hailed the turnout as a vindication of AI's urgency, with the expo's innovations—from AI-powered healthcare demos to climate solutions—capping a day of unrelenting momentum.