India will host the inaugural AI summit in the Global South, the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, from February 16 to 20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This five-day event aims to unite global leaders, policymakers, technology companies, innovators, and experts to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across governance, innovation, and sustainable development.
The summit is framed around three foundational principles known as ‘Sutras’—People, Planet, and Progress. These guiding principles reflect India’s commitment to leveraging AI as a catalyst for inclusive growth, aligning with its vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Building on these Sutras, discussions at the summit will revolve around seven Chakras of collaboration. One Chakra, Human Capital, focuses on creating an equitable AI reskilling ecosystem, enhancing workforce readiness for the AI-driven economy. Another, Inclusion for Social Empowerment, promotes inclusive participation through shared AI solutions, thereby supporting citizen-centric services. The Chakras also address Safe and Trusted AI, ensuring responsible governance frameworks, while Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency tackle environmental challenges posed by large-scale AI systems.
AI’s impact in India is already evident across various sectors. In healthcare, AI-enabled remote diagnostics and telemedicine are enhancing access in rural areas, while AI-based medical image analysis accelerates the diagnosis of diseases like tuberculosis and cancer. The agricultural sector benefits from AI’s predictive capabilities, with tools like Mausam GPT providing real-time weather and irrigation information in multiple languages. Education systems are utilizing AI-driven platforms to tailor content based on individual student needs, and in finance, AI systems are detecting fraud and expanding loan access for underserved populations. Furthermore, AI-assisted translation of court judgments has improved access to justice and streamlined service delivery in governance.
The India AI Impact Expo 2026, covering over 70,000 square meters, will feature more than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries across over 10 thematic pavilions. This expo will demonstrate the transition of AI from research to large-scale deployment. Additionally, three flagship challenges—AI for ALL: Global Impact Challenge, with rewards of up to Rs 2.50 crore; AI by HER: Global Impact Challenge, aimed at promoting women-led innovation; and YUVAi: Global Youth Challenge, for innovators aged 13–21 with prizes worth up to Rs 85 lakh—will be organized during the summit.
A Research Symposium dedicated to AI’s impact will take place on February 18, 2026, gathering researchers from the Global South and beyond. The AI Compendium, a crucial document that outlines real-world AI applications across key sectors, will be unveiled on February 17, 2026.
The summit enjoys robust support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which offers overall policy direction. The IndiaAI Mission shapes core themes related to AI infrastructure, datasets, indigenous models, and startup support. Innovations and participation from startups and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are backed by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), while the Digital India Initiative lays down the foundational framework for large-scale AI adoption.
In preparation for the summit, eight regional AI conferences were conducted between October 2025 and January 2026 across states including Meghalaya, Gujarat, and Kerala, focusing on identifying region-specific AI use cases and policy needs. The summit has received a strong global response, with over 700 proposals submitted, aiming to produce outcome-driven results that include enhanced governance frameworks, increased AI awareness, skill development initiatives, and sustained partnerships among government entities, academia, startups, and industry.
As the world increasingly recognizes AI’s potential, the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 stands to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of AI in the Global South, fostering collaboration and innovative solutions to address pressing challenges.
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