India spearheading world's AI revolution, says Modi
- Last updated: February 16, 2026 | 13:12 ..
As India hosts the AI Impact Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the event is aimed at bringing the world together to discuss Artificial Intelligence. He welcomed world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the globe to participate in the summit.
Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi said, "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. 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."
He said AI is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance.
"AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise. The AI Impact Summit will enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, responsible use and more. I am confident that the outcomes of the Summit will help shape a future that is progressive, innovative and opportunity-driven," PM Modi said.
The five-day gathering highlights the growing global importance of AI technology.
The summit begins on Monday and will be attended by 20 heads of state and government, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a session on Thursday.
Google's Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, Qualcomm's CEO Cristiano Amon, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft's President Brad Smith and AMI Labs Executive Chairman Yann LeCun are also expected to attend.
PM Modi further stated that India stands at the forefront of the AI transformation, driven by the efforts of 1.4 billion people.
"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," PM Modi said.
Organizers said the India AI Impact Summit is the first such summit being held in the Global South to discuss the technology developed and dominated by wealthy companies based in rich countries. It comes at a pivotal moment as AI rapidly transforms economies, reshapes labour markets and raises questions around regulations, security and ethics.
From generative AI tools that can produce text and images to advanced systems used in defence, health care and climate modelling, AI has become a central focus for governments and corporations across the world.
The summit, previously held in France, the UK and South Korea, has evolved far beyond its modest beginnings as a meeting tightly focused on the safety of cutting-edge AI systems into an all-purpose jamboree trade fair in which safety is just one aspect.
'Shaping humanity'
India – the world's most populous nation and one of the fastest-growing digital markets – sees the summit as an opportunity to project itself as a bridge between advanced economies and the Global South.
Officials said the country's experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure, including digital identity and payment platforms, offers a model for deploying AI at scale while keeping costs low.
"The goal is clear: AI should be used for shaping humanity, inclusive growth and a sustainable future," India's Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
Indian executives are hoping the summit will reflect the country's recognition as an enabler of national capabilities, economic resilience and long-term capabilities.
"As India continues on the journey to become a developed nation by 2047, AI has a critical role to play in strengthening large scale systems, from energy and manufacturing to public infrastructure," said Sumant Sinha, the CEO of the NASDAQ-listed ReNew, a clean energy company.
Ahead of the India meeting, a panel of experts released a second annual safety report on the risks posed by the most advanced AI systems, including through misuse, malfunctions and so-called systemic risks.
AI governance efforts are also under way elsewhere, including at the United Nations, which last year adopted a resolution to set up two key bodies on AI – a global forum and an independent scientific panel of experts.
"The whole point of this report is to build an international consensus on the state of the science regarding the emerging risks of AI," said Yoshua Bengio, a prominent scientist known as one of the "Godfathers of AI" who led the study. "It's really important that the world will continue to have a strong independent scientific evaluation of the risks."
Like elsewhere, there have been concerns in India about AI's adverse effect on jobs across technology and allied sectors, but experts point to reskilling to hedge risks.
"There is a lot of genuine concern around this theme, and I don't want to underestimate this impact. But, from an Indian lens, emphasis is on re-skilling programmes and as AI becomes much more mainstream, you will also see newer job roles coming up," said Sangeeta Gupta, senior vice president at Nasscom, a prominent body representing India's technology industry.
For 22-year-old Anirudh Singh, pursuing a master's in social work from Delhi University, AI makes it easier to prepare internship projects.
"I think AI is just reducing the tedious work that students generally had to do," said Singh.
India AI Impact Expo 2026
Modi will also inaugurate India AI Impact Expo 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam on Monday.
The Expo will be held from February 16 to 20, alongside the India AI Impact Summit, at the same venue. Spread across 10 arenas covering more than 70,000 square metres, it will bring together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, Union Ministries, state governments, and international partners.
The event will also feature 13 country pavilions, showcasing international collaboration in the AI ecosystem. These include pavilions from Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan, and African countries.
The India AI Impact Expo 2026 is likely to witness the participation of over 2.5 lakh visitors. Over 500 sessions will be organised, featuring more than 3,250 visionary speakers and panel members. These sessions will focus on acknowledging the transformative impact of AI across sectors and deliberating on future actions to ensure that AI benefits every global citizen.
Agencies