India has a unique opportunity to reframe the global artificial intelligence debate, focusing on inclusivity, ethics, and public good. With the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit scheduled for February 2026, India can leverage its democratic values, technological depth, and Global South leadership to shape AI governance. By hosting this summit, India can bring together nations, corporations, and academic institutions to discuss and shape the future of AI.
One key area where India can make a significant impact is in encouraging concrete, measurable AI commitments from nations, corporations, and academic institutions. This could include reducing AI-related energy consumption or offering AI training programs for underrepresented groups. India can also launch initiatives like the "AI for Billions Fund" to support developing nations and promote equity in AI access and governance.
Establishing common safety standards for AI is another crucial area where India can take the lead. By proposing a Global AI Safety Collaborative, India can facilitate the sharing of red teaming protocols, incident logs, and stress tests for high-risk AI models. This would help ensure that AI development is done in a safe and responsible manner.
India can also offer a usable middle road on rules by drafting a voluntary frontier AI code of conduct that balances innovation with safety and accountability. This could include public red-team disclosures and an AI "accident hotline" to report incidents and near-misses. By fostering inclusive dialogue among major powers and developing nations, India can help prevent a fractured global AI order.
India's strengths in democratic legitimacy, technological leadership, and voice of the Global South make it an ideal candidate to lead the global AI debate. By strategically leveraging these strengths, India can emerge as a moral and ethical voice in global AI governance, championing a people-centric and development-driven AI framework. As the world looks to India for leadership on AI, it has a unique opportunity to shape the future of this technology and ensure that it benefits all of humanity.
