150+ Academics Condemn Youth Congress Protest at AI Summit
Scholars say global tech platform should not be turned into partisan stage
- Over 150 academicians issue joint statement condemning Youth Congress protest
- Scholars call AI Summit a milestone in India’s global tech assertion
- Protest termed “ill-timed” and harmful to India’s international image
- Campaign led by Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd Feb: A broad cross-section of India’s academic and intellectual community has strongly condemned the conduct of Indian Youth Congress leaders during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, describing the episode as “deeply regrettable” and potentially damaging to India’s global standing.
In a joint statement issued on February 23, more than 150 Vice Chancellors, former Vice Chancellors, Directors, professors, researchers and intellectuals from across the country expressed concern that a prestigious international technology platform was disrupted by partisan political activity.
The signatories stated that the summit represented a defining moment for India to showcase its technological capabilities, strategic vision and leadership in artificial intelligence before the global community. They argued that converting such an international forum into a stage for domestic political protest reflected a serious lapse in judgment and undermined national interest.
According to the statement, the summit saw participation from 41 global technology CEOs, 326 exhibitors from 37 countries and nearly five lakh visitors. It also reportedly generated investment commitments worth $250 billion and showcased 644 AI technologies, including three indigenous large language models. The academics emphasized that these milestones marked a structural shift in India’s AI capabilities and global positioning.
The joint appeal further cited the 2025 Global AI Vibrancy Index by Stanford University, which ranks India third globally in artificial intelligence after the United States and China, making it the first Global South country to enter the top tier. The scholars maintained that such progress is the result of sustained national effort and should not be overshadowed by domestic political theatrics.
The statement also expressed concern that the protest associated with Congress leadership conveyed an adverse impression at a time when global investors and technology leaders were evaluating India’s credibility as a long-term AI partner.
The initiative was coordinated by the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, whose Director Binay Kumar Singh stated that the academic community remains committed to responsible public discourse and safeguarding India’s technological prestige.
The signatories include several serving and former Vice Chancellors of central and state universities, Directors of IITs, IIMs and NITs, senior professors from institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi, IIT Roorkee, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Dharwad, and other prominent universities across India.
The collective statement concluded that India’s AI ascent is a national endeavour involving scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, institutions and policymakers, and urged all stakeholders to distinguish between legitimate democratic dissent and actions that may inadvertently weaken India’s international standing at a critical moment of technological transformation.
