Kenya Seeks India's AI & Chip Partnership at Global South Summit

Speaking at the summit, Shikoh Gatua, Chief Administrative Officer of Qhala, Kenya, praised India's leadership and hosting of the event, stating that the engagement had translated ideas into tangible partnerships.

"It's been amazing. India has been an amazing host. Our startups and innovators have met incredible collaborators. We are seeing it move from paper to pavement when we talk about South-South collaboration. In the last three days, we have seen clear curiosity and acknowledgement that we need to work together," Gatua said.

Emphasising the diversity of Global South nations, she noted that countries like Kenya and India bring unique cultural and linguistic strengths to AI development.

"We have diverse cultures, diverse languages, and diverse people. We are not just homogeneous English-speaking societies. That is what we bring to the table as people from the Global South. We are looking at what India has done that we can quickly learn from and move the needle," she added.

Drawing an analogy, Gatua described AI as a transformative yet powerful force requiring careful governance.

"AI is like fire. Fire is a technology. You have to put guardrails around it. But you cannot pour water on fire, because then you lose energy and heat. In the same way, with AI, we need guardrails that allow us to use it safely and with governance, without putting out innovation," she said.

Meanwhile, Mary Kerema, Secretary for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Government of Kenya, extended an open invitation to India to collaborate in critical mineral mining and semiconductor manufacturing, underscoring Kenya's ambition to become self-sufficient and an exporter in the tech value chain.

"The South-South--each country cannot work at it alone. We are open to collaboration. I know India is doing a lot of manufacturing--chips and semiconductors. Kenya today is looking at being self-sufficient. And how do you become self-sufficient? By producing your own products and exporting," Kerema said.

Calling for partnership rather than competition, she stressed the need to build complementary manufacturing ecosystems.

"Can we collaborate? Can we partner? We are not in competition. We need to build each other. As you manufacture in India and we manufacture in Kenya, then we bring sufficiency," she said.

Highlighting Kenya's mineral wealth, Kerema invited Indian companies to explore lithium mining opportunities in the country.

"Our country is a bed of many minerals. We are welcoming India to come and get our lithium from Kenya and then build your chips. I'm seeing a lot of collaboration, skills transfer and matchmaking so that we can be closer and work together. The more we work together, the more we grow," she added.

The remarks reflect a broader push among Global South nations to jointly shape the AI ecosystem and secure supply chains in critical minerals essential for semiconductor and emerging technology industries.

India is hosting AI Impact Summit 2026 from February 16 to 20. It is anchored in three foundational pillars, or 'Sutras': People, Planet and Progress.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday.

The Summit, the first global AI gathering to be hosted in the Global South, has witnessed unprecedented participation, with over 20 Heads of State, 60 Ministers, and 500 global AI leaders.

Bringing together policymakers, technology companies, innovators, academia, and industry leaders, the Summit seeks to translate global AI deliberations into actionable development outcomes under the IndiaAI Mission and the Digital India initiative.

PM Modi will deliver the inaugural address on February 19, setting the tone for enhanced global cooperation and advancing India's vision for inclusive, trusted, and development-oriented artificial intelligence.

- ANI