India AI Impact Summit Draws Massive Global Interest
Ashwini Vaishnaw says India’s AI ecosystem progressing systematically ahead of Global South’s first AI summit
- India AI Impact Summit 2026 receives strong global response
- Over 200 sector-specific AI models to be launched
- Nearly USD 70 billion flowing into AI infrastructure
- AI curriculum to be extended to 500 universities
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th Jan: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Friday said that the India AI Impact Summit 2026 has received a phenomenal response from across the world, with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stating that India’s AI ecosystem is developing in a systematic and deployment-focused manner.
Addressing a high-level press conference in New Delhi ahead of the Summit, Vaishnaw said the event is shaping up to be the biggest AI summit globally and will be the first such major global convening in the Global South. The Summit will be held from February 16 to 20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The Minister said leading IT companies have developed over 200 focused, sector-specific AI models, which are proposed to be launched during the Summit. He also noted that nearly USD 70 billion is already flowing into the AI infrastructure layer, with potential for this to double by the conclusion of the Summit.
To strengthen India’s AI talent pipeline, the government plans to extend AI infrastructure and industry-aligned curricula to 500 universities, enabling large-scale skilling and workforce development in artificial intelligence.
During the press conference, MeitY also launched a Compendium titled “The Impact Agenda: Leadership Reflections”, featuring insights from around 60 leading industry experts on the future of AI and its role in driving inclusive growth and innovation.
Secretary, MeitY, S. Krishnan said the Summit aims to democratise AI and ensure that its benefits reach a broad section of society. He highlighted that as the first global AI summit in the Global South, the event will focus on safe, trusted and responsible AI deployment and governance.
The Summit week will feature over 500 curated events, 840+ exhibitors at the AI Impact Expo, and participation from 15 Heads of State/Government, 40+ Ministers, over 100 CEOs and CXOs, and more than 100 eminent academics. Global technology leaders including Jio, Qualcomm, OpenAI, Nvidia, Google, Microsoft, Adobe and the Gates Foundation are expected to participate.
The government reiterated that the India AI Impact Summit 2026 will serve as a major platform to position India as a global hub for responsible, inclusive and impact-driven artificial intelligence.
