India Hosts Global AI Summit 2026: Leaders Hail Delhi as Pivotal AI Hub

In a video posted by the Indian Embassy in the US, Vishal Sikka, Founder and CEO of Vianai Systems, expressed his optimism ahead of the Global AI Impact Summit.

"I'm really excited about India AI Impact Summit happening in Delhi next week. You know, there is so much development in AI every day. There is some or the other breakthrough happening somewhere and it has so many implications, so many consequences. And it is so important to India and India is so important to AI that this is really going to be, I think, the best AI conference that has ever happened in the last several years, all the way from the, you know, impact of AI on all the different industries, the, creating AI, the talent that we have in India and how we can build applications of AI, how we can build AI itself in the infrastructure for AI, to all the serious issues around AI from energy to availability of talent to the safety of AI," Sikka said.

"Imagine having billions of, swarms of billions of AI agents doing their thing and ensuring the safety of these things, the security of these things, the ethics of AI. There are so many fundamental societal issues to be discussed. And so many different people from all walks of life are converging in Delhi next week. I'm really excited about it and looking forward to it," he added.

Rorry Daniels, Managing Director of Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) shared her excitement ahead of the AI Impact Summit and said,"I'm so excited to travel to Delhi next week for the Global AI Impact Summit where the Policy Institute will be partnering with the United Nations to hold an event on trust and safety in the AI ecosystems. We're particularly excited to learn how India's emerging AI guidelines and policy ecosystems could provide a model for the rest of emerging economies in Asia. I look forward to the summit and to seeing the great results."

The upcoming India-AI Impact Summit, the first-ever global AI Summit to be hosted in the Global South, from Feb 16-20 will be anchored in three guiding "sutras" of People, Planet and Progress and structured around seven key "chakras," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.

20 leaders from around the globe will participate in the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 to be held in the national capital from February 16 to 20. Ministerial delegations from over 45 countries will participate in the Summit, with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Senior Officials from several international organisations joining the deliberations. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Heads of State and Government are scheduled to attend the Summit.

The India-AI Impact Summit will be held from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South.

Designed as a five-day programme covering policy, research, industry, and public engagement, the Summit is expected to bring together global leaders, policymakers, technology companies, innovators, and experts to deliberate on AI's role in governance, innovation, and sustainable development.

The Summit builds on India's development-focused approach to AI, aligns with the India AI Mission and Digital India Initiative, and emphasises translating global AI discussions into practical, people-centric outcomes.

The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 aims to foster dialogue on responsible AI governance, innovation ecosystems, digital public infrastructure, climate-conscious technology and equitable access to emerging technologies.

The Summit is envisioned as a pivotal global platform to shape a future-oriented agenda for inclusive, responsible, and impactful AI, and it aims to move beyond high-level discussions to deliver tangible outcomes that support economic growth, social development, and the sustainable use of AI.

- ANI