New Delhi will host the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 on 19–20 February, marking the first major global artificial intelligence summit to be held in the Global South. The two-day meeting, expected to attract delegations from about 100 countries, is being presented by officials as an effort to set a practical agenda that ensures AI serves inclusive growth, social development and environmental protection.
India AI Impact Summit 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced the summit at the France AI Action Summit in Paris, arguing that AI is already shaping this century and must be democratised so people-centred applications benefit all. India aims to place the needs of developing economies at the centre of global AI cooperation, addressing gaps in compute power, skills, data and funding that limit the Global South’s capacity to benefit from the technology.
Officials said the summit will be organised around three guiding sutras — people, planet and progress — and operationalised through seven thematic working groups, described as chakras. These groups will provide the forum for drafting practical policy recommendations and cooperative initiatives.
The Human Capital Chakra will focus on reskilling, digital literacy and workforce transitions for an AI-driven economy. The Inclusion for Social Empowerment theme will look to ensure linguistic, cultural and contextual representation in AI systems so that applications remain locally relevant. The Safe and Trusted AI Chakra will prioritise transparent governance frameworks that can be adopted across regions to tackle disinformation, cybersecurity risks and deep fakes.
Other working groups will promote frugal, energy-efficient AI suited to resource-constrained settings; expand inclusive research networks and scientific collaboration; improve equitable access to datasets, compute and foundational models; and scale proven AI solutions in healthcare, education and agriculture to deliver measurable social benefits.
The working group themes were shaped through months of consultations, including public input via the MyGov platform, more than 500 organisational stakeholders and international brainstorming sessions in cities such as Oslo, Tokyo, New York and Paris. To build momentum, organisers have already run about 300 pre-summit events, of which 57 have taken place across more than 25 countries.
Officials told reporters the summit seeks to build on initiatives such as the UK AI Safety Summit and other international forums, while moving the conversation from high-level political commitments to demonstrable impact and cooperative frameworks. A series of regional AI impact conferences will also feed into the New Delhi agenda, underlining the government’s stated goal of an inclusive roadmap rooted in national priorities.
Adding diplomatic weight to the event, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled for a state visit to India during the summit. Observers say the presence of BRICS and partner nations could accelerate agreements on capacity building, data-sharing principles and pooled investment in compute infrastructure designed for the Global South.
By convening a wide range of governments, industry and civil society, India seeks to steer an agenda that emphasises equitable access to AI and practical deliverables that close capability gaps. The summit will test whether broad consensus can be translated into concrete commitments that raise capacity and deliver inclusive technological gains for developing countries.
Key Takeaways:
- India AI Impact Summit 2026 will bring 100 countries together to shape AI policy and access for the Global South.
- The summit is organised around three guiding sutras — people, planet and progress — and seven thematic working groups.
- Themes include human capital, inclusive systems, safe and trusted AI, democratising compute and data, and AI for social and economic growth.
- Approximately 300 pre-summit events and broad consultations aim to ensure deliverables that move beyond high-level statements.
