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India AI Impact Summit 2026: India is getting ready to host what could be the biggest global meet on artificial intelligence so far. The India AI Impact Summit 2026 will take place from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. With representatives from more than 100 countries, about 15 Heads of State and Government, over 100 global CEOs, and a large presence of academic and technology leaders, the summit is being seen as a moment that could shape how AI is built, regulated and used in both emerging and advanced economies. Ahead of the event, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the summit has received an overwhelming international response, reflecting the rapid and systematic growth of India’s AI ecosystem and its rising role in shaping global technology conversations.
Addressing a high-level press conference organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Vaishnaw said the summit is shaping up to be the biggest AI summit held anywhere in the world so far. He pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent engagements with global technology leaders, developers and innovators across the AI value chain as evidence of India’s growing influence in the sector.
According to the minister, more than 200 specialised AI models developed by Indian IT companies for sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, governance and industry are expected to be unveiled during the summit. He added that nearly USD 70 billion in investments are already flowing into India’s AI infrastructure segment, with expectations that this figure could double by the conclusion of the summit week.
Vaishnaw also highlighted plans to expand AI talent development by extending industry-designed AI curricula and infrastructure to 500 universities, strengthening India’s long-term workforce pipeline in emerging technologies.
The India AI Impact Summit becomes the fourth in a series of global AI summits, following earlier editions in the UK, South Korea and France. Officials said the summit’s central objective is to democratise AI technologies and ensure benefits reach a wider cross-section of society, rather than remaining concentrated within a few advanced economies or corporations.
Secretary MeitY S Krishnan noted that India aims to align global standards and governance approaches to AI with the needs of developing nations, ensuring safe, inclusive and responsible adoption of the technology.
The summit week will be packed with activity, with more than 500 carefully planned sessions spread across Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan. These will range from leader-level conversations and policy roundtables to exhibitions and sector-focused discussions. A major highlight will be the AI Impact Expo, which will put the spotlight on practical, real-world uses of artificial intelligence across different industries.
More than 800 exhibitors, including country pavilions, startups, ministries, research institutions and private companies, will participate in the expo. India’s own foundational AI initiatives will also be demonstrated, highlighting progress under the IndiaAI mission.
Officials expect over one lakh attendees to participate physically during the summit week, making it one of the largest technology events ever organised in India.
Industry involvement is shaping up to be one of the main strengths of the summit. Leading technology firms and global corporations have confirmed their participation, with senior leaders from the AI, semiconductor, cloud, telecom and enterprise technology space set to attend. The event will also see a strong mix of voices, with well-known CEOs and founders joining top academic researchers and policy experts who are closely involved in shaping responsible AI and its governance.
Industry partnerships are also expected to produce announcements related to infrastructure expansion, startup collaboration, AI applications and research cooperation.
The summit’s outreach effort has included hundreds of pre-summit events conducted across India and abroad. Officials said more than 460 such events have already been organised across Indian states and union territories, with international engagements spanning around 30 countries.
Regional AI conferences held across states including Meghalaya, Gujarat, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kerala helped bring local AI use cases and governance discussions into the national conversation.
A series of build-up events will run until February 10 to generate interest and engagement ahead of the main summit. Initiatives such as AI for All, AI by Her and YUVAi are designed to encourage ideas that tackle real social and economic problems, while giving emerging innovators a platform to be seen and heard.
The response has been strong, with thousands of entries coming in from across the world. Experts say these outputs could shape policy and industry decisions in emerging markets over the coming years. Officials said the summit reflects India’s commitment to ensuring artificial intelligence remains safe, trusted and inclusive while driving economic growth and innovation.
