India Puts Developmental AI At Centre Stage As Summit Opens in Delhi Tomorrow

New Delhi is set to become the global capital of artificial intelligence as India hosts the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit 2026 from February 16 to 20, positioning the country as a leading voice in shaping how AI can drive inclusive growth, governance, and human development.

With more than two lakh participants already registered, the scale of the event makes it one of the largest global gatherings ever on artificial intelligence.

Senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs say the design of the summit reflects India's ambition to democratise AI conversations and move beyond a narrow focus on safety and regulation.

The summit will be spread across marquee venues in the national capital, led by Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, with multiple satellite events unfolding across Delhi.

The five-day programme will begin with a broad-based engagement phase from February 16 to 18, featuring side events, sectoral sessions, farming stations, solution showcases, and fireside chats.

Notably, a significant number of registered participants include farmers and grassroots stakeholders, underscoring India's attempt to connect artificial intelligence with real-world development challenges. These early days will focus on execution, implementation models, and practical use cases of AI in sectors such as agriculture, governance, education, and public service delivery.

The leaders' segment, the political and diplomatic high point of the summit, will commence on the afternoon of February 18 and continue through February 19. This phase will feature a formal inaugural session, high-level addresses, and closed-door discussions among world leaders, ministers, and senior policymakers. Officials confirm participation by around 20 heads of state or government, 11 confirmed leaders, 45 ministerial delegations, and over 30 vice-ministerial and senior international delegations, alongside global tech CEOs and industry leaders.

February 20 will pivot back to thematic discussions and policy dialogues, with a strong European presence. Several European leaders are expected to participate in panel discussions and fireside chats, reflecting the deepening global interest in India's approach to AI governance and development.

The summit follows a series of international AI meetings hosted by the UK, South Korea, and France, which largely focused on AI safety, security, and institutional frameworks. India's summit, however, marks a deliberate shift. While acknowledging the importance of safety and trust, New Delhi is placing the developmental and Global South perspective at the heart of the global AI discourse.

"For India, technology has always been a tool of empowerment," officials said, pointing to India's digital public infrastructure, such as UPI and large-scale digital governance platforms.

The summit aims to showcase how AI can improve service delivery, expand financial inclusion, strengthen education, enhance agricultural productivity, and reach the remotest communities.

To ensure inclusivity, India structured the summit around seven thematic 'chakras,' each led by working groups co-chaired with partner countries. Over 100 countries were invited to participate in these working groups, which began deliberations as early as September last year. The themes include democratizing AI resources, economic and social growth, secure and trusted AI, science and innovation, social empowerment, human capital, and resilient innovation and efficiency.

These working groups have held multiple physical and hybrid meetings, with their recommendations set to feed directly into the leaders' discussions. The emphasis, officials stress, is on actionable outcomes rather than abstract debates.

At a time when global markets are witnessing anxiety over AI-driven automation and job losses, India has ensured that concerns around employment, skilling, and reskilling are embedded into the summit's agenda. Human capital and workforce transitions will be a key pillar of the discussions.

As New Delhi prepares to host this massive global congregation, the AI Impact Summit 2026 signals India's arrival not just as a technology powerhouse, but as a thought leader advocating a human-centric, inclusive, and development-first vision for artificial intelligence.