New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended a warm welcome to global delegates as India commenced the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. Leaders, technology pioneers, policymakers and entrepreneurs from around the world have gathered in the national capital for the five-day event focused on shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
In a message shared on social media platform X, the Prime Minister underlined India’s commitment to leveraging AI for collective welfare, guided by the principle of “welfare for all, happiness for all.” He noted that artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming sectors such as healthcare, farming, education, governance and business, and called for responsible and collaborative innovation.
The summit, being held from February 16 to 20, marks the first large-scale international AI conference hosted in the Global South. Heads of state, senior government representatives, global tech executives and researchers are expected to participate in discussions on ethical AI development, cross-border cooperation and emerging technological opportunities.
A key highlight of the event is the launch of the India AI Impact Expo 2026, inaugurated by the Prime Minister. Spread across 70,000 square metres, the exhibition presents practical AI-driven solutions ranging from smart agriculture systems and multilingual voice technologies to digital education tools and intelligent governance platforms.
Central to the summit is the government’s sovereign AI roadmap under the IndiaAI Mission. India is set to introduce 12 homegrown foundation models developed by domestic startups and research institutions. These models, trained on extensive Indian datasets and designed to function across 22 official languages, aim to broaden AI accessibility in rural and urban communities alike.
Innovations from emerging players and academic institutions are also on display, reflecting the country’s expanding AI ecosystem. The Prime Minister credited India’s 1.4 billion citizens for driving digital transformation through strong public digital infrastructure, a thriving startup culture and advanced research initiatives.
