Modi Inaugurates Six-day India AI Impact Expo & Summit 2026
Under the India AI Mission, the government has invested Rs 10,372 crore to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem. More than 38,000 GPUs have been on-boarded for shared compute access, 12 indigenous foundation models are being developed, and over 30 India-specific AI applications have been approved
New Delhi: Exploring multiple exhibition pavilions, engaging with start-ups, researchers, and technology leaders showcasing artificial intelligence or AI applications across all the sectors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the six-day summit, India AI Impact Expo 2026 summit, which kicked off in the national capital. As the first major AI summit hosted in the Global South, the event underscores India’s ambition to shape global AI norms while advancing domestic capacity.
The summit, themed as Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya — welfare for all, happiness for all, however, reflects India’s commitment to harnessing artificial intelligence for human-centric progress and inclusive development. Earlier in the day, Modi also said that India stands at the forefront of AI transformation and its strides in artificial intelligence reflect both ambition and responsibility. However, he also highlighted the role of AI across diverse sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise.
“AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise. The 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. Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation,” he said.
Through working groups and thematic sessions, the summit also aims to produce actionable proposals, including shared compute frameworks and AI commons for public good. At its core, the event positions India as a bridge between innovation and equitable global impact. The summit, which will host a total of 300 pavilions and 600 high-potential startups, will provide live demonstrations, structured across three thematic chakras — people, planet, and progress — is expected to draw thick crowds that would feature international delegates.
Under the India AI Mission, the government has invested Rs 10,372 crore to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem. More than 38,000 GPUs have been on-boarded for shared compute access, 12 indigenous foundation models are being developed, and over 30 India-specific AI applications have been approved. Talent development is central, with thousands of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students supported through targeted initiatives.
Not only the Prime Minister, but also many top government officials and AI giants welcomed the summit, saying that the AI adoption gap between the global north and south, building trusted and sovereign tech stacks, promoting ethical governance, and ensuring that AI augments livelihoods rather than displacing them.
Chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said that AI adoption cannot just happen by drift and requires a clear commitment to aligning technological adoption with mass employability. “Countries need to move decisively by strengthening foundation or education, high quality skills, expanding labour-intensive service sectors, and removing the regulatory bottlenecks. The window is still open, but it is not indefinite. We must act and act now," he said.
MeitY secretary S Krishnan said that India’s AI strategy is the future of IT jobs, semiconductor ambitions, and new rules on AI-generated content. “AI could create more jobs than it displaces, India plans to boost domestic electronics manufacturing, and the regulation of artificial intelligence will look like in practice,” said Krishnan.
Union minister Jitin Prasada also said that India has the highest level of AI skill penetration and has adopted a policy approach of avoiding over-regulation to ensure innovation thrives. “The present government is agile and listens to all ideas and it fine-tunes its policies, programmes, as per the need of the hour. India has trajectory, speed, and scale to offer to the world in the AI space,” he said.
The summit features participation from more than 45 countries, with prominent leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Antonio Guterres among others. A strong US delegation, alongside industry executives from Microsoft, IBM, Zoom, Kyndryl, Adobe, and others, signals expanding international collaboration.