India will host the AI Impact Summit on 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking the first such event led by a Global‑South nation. Announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the summit aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of using technology for public good, aiming to position India as a key player in shaping global AI governance while fostering innovation and inclusive growth. The event is guided by three core sutras—People, Planet, Progress—and seven thematic “Chakras” that address human capital, inclusion, safe AI, resilience, science, democratising resources, and social‑economic impact .
A series of flagship initiatives will be showcased, including the launch of eight indigenous foundational‑model projects such as Avatar AI, Bharat Gen, and Intellihealth, which together span multilingual processing, healthcare diagnostics, scientific research, and agricultural solutions. These models range from 2 billion to 70 billion parameters and are designed to be open‑source, enabling startups and researchers across the country to build on them. Additionally, the summit will feature the AI Pitch Fest UDAAN, the YuvaAI Innovation Challenge, and the AI by HER program, all intended to spotlight emerging talent from Tier 2/3 cities, women‑led ventures, and youth innovators .
The government is bolstering the ecosystem with massive compute infrastructure—now 38,000 GPUs nationwide—and a network of 570 AI Data Labs that will provide training and resources to students and researchers, especially in underserved regions. These labs, combined with the IndiaAI Fellowship supporting 13,500 scholars, aim to democratise AI education and ensure equitable access to cutting‑edge tools. The summit will also host a Research Symposium on 18 February 2026, inviting global and Global‑South researchers to present frontier work on responsible AI and foster cross‑border collaborations .
Overall, the India‑AI Impact Summit 2026 seeks to translate AI’s transformative potential into tangible benefits for sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and climate resilience. By emphasising ethical AI, open‑source models, and inclusive participation, India aims to set a new standard for safe, trustworthy AI on the world stage and drive sustainable progress for its citizens and the broader Global South .
