PM Modi holds bilateral meeting with Mauritius PM Navin Ramgoolam amid AI Summit
New Delhi, February 20
Prime Minister Modi on Friday held a bilateral meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam in the national capital at the Hyderabad House, on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, 2026.
Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchadra Ramgoolam arrived in India on Wednesday to attend the global AI Impact Summit being hosted in New Delhi. He was received by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary.
Sharing the details of his arrival in a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) underlined the close partnership between India and Mauritius and said, "Welcome to a close friend and maritime neighbour! Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam of Mauritius @Ramgoolam_Dr was warmly received by Minister of State for Jal Shakti @dr_rajbhushan on his arrival in India for the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Digital cooperation remains a key pillar of the - Enhanced Strategic Partnership, anchored in deep-rooted and historic people-to-people ties."
Ahead of the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, Mauritian Minister of Financial Services and Economic Planning Jyoti Jeetun, on February 13, lauded India's technological prowess, saying the country is known for its strong technology-driven economy and is now taking the lead in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Speaking to ANI, Jeetun said Mauritius considers itself "very privileged" to be part of what she described as the next phase of global technological development.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. It started on February 16 and will run up to February 20, 2026. The Summit brought together government policymakers, industry AI experts, academicians, technology innovators and civil society from across the world at New Delhi to advance global discussions on artificial intelligence.
The India AI Impact Summit, the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South, aims to reflect on the transformative potential of AI, aligning with the national vision of "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya" (welfare for all, happiness for all) and the global principle of AI for Humanity.
The Summit will have participation of more than 110 countries, 30 International organizations, including about 20 HoS/HoG level participation, and about 45 Ministers.
The AI summit is part of an evolving international process aimed at strengthening global cooperation on the governance, safety, and societal impact of AI.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is guided by three Sutras or foundational pillars - People, Planet, and Progress. These sutras articulate the core principles for global cooperation on artificial intelligence. They aim to promote human-centric AI that safeguards rights and ensures equitable benefits across societies, environmentally sustainable advancement of AI, and inclusive economic and technological advancement.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Very proud moment for India. Leading the AI conversation from the Global South is significant. The principles of 'People, Planet, Progress' sound excellent, but I hope the summit outcomes translate into real policies that prevent job losses in our country.
Mauritius is a key strategic partner. Good to see the focus on digital cooperation. Hope this leads to more tech jobs and investment flowing both ways. The diaspora connection is our strength.
As someone working in tech, it's encouraging to see India take a leadership role in AI governance. The "AI for Humanity" principle is the right approach. Curious to see the concrete frameworks that come out of this summit.
Respectfully, while summits are good for diplomacy, I wish we saw more focus on developing our own domestic AI talent in smaller cities and towns. The benefits seem concentrated in metros. Hope the 'Sarvajana Hitaya' vision includes tier-2 and tier-3 India.
The historical and people-to-people ties with Mauritius are deep. Many families have roots there. This collaboration in cutting-edge tech like AI is a beautiful way to build on that shared future. All the best to the delegates!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.