India's AI Summit: People, Planet, Progress - A Global South First

Speaking during a discussion titled "Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit", Kwatra said, "This is the first time that the summit is taking place in a Global South country.

The summit is being anchored on three major platforms. We call it three sutras essentially.

The first sutra, or the first anchor of it, is people. Essentially, the underlying theme there is that the cultural diversity of people, the dignity of people, and the access of people to the technology are ensured."

Explaining the second pillar, he said, "The second part of it, which is important, is the planet.

The idea is that any technology is not centred just on a particular geography but is available for the progress of the planet."

Describing the third element of the framework, Kwatra added, "The third course is the sutra of progress, which must lead to economic and technological progress and the prosperity of society."

His remarks came as a series of international summits since 2023 have brought together governments, industry and civil society to deepen cooperation on artificial intelligence.

In this context, India is set to host the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, marking the first time such a global AI summit will be held in the Global South.

The conference also featured Ambassador Laurent Bili of France and placed the upcoming summit within the momentum generated by the Paris AI Action Summit, which France and India co-hosted in Paris in February 2025.

Panel discussions during the event focused on domestic and global AI policy agendas, industry views on governance and innovation, and AI-driven development initiatives across the Global South.

Building on this momentum, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being projected as a landmark event aimed at strengthening India's role in responsible and inclusive artificial intelligence.

According to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, outcomes from focused working groups are expected to shape AI policy, skilling strategies and implementation across India and the Global South.

These plans were outlined during the 38th episode of Digital India: Ask Our Experts, where officials presented a roadmap for India's AI-driven future and highlighted efforts to democratise access to AI, including opportunities for youth, startups, women innovators and learners from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Participants also raised questions on open data access, AI infrastructure and healthcare data safety, with assurances that IndiaAI is prioritising secure and inclusive platforms to enable broader participation in the AI ecosystem.

The discussions served as a curtain-raiser for the India AI Impact Expo 2026, scheduled at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20, where real-world AI applications across education, healthcare, agriculture and governance are set to be showcased.

- ANI