UK Deputy PM David Lammy arrives in Delhi for AI Impact Summit
New Delhi, February 18
United Kingdom Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026.
Official Spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry, Randhir Jaiswal said that David Lammy's visit will strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a focus on responsible artificial intelligence
"A warm welcome to the UK Deputy PM @DavidLammy on his arrival in New Delhi to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026. His visit will further strengthen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a strong focus on trusted, inclusive, and responsible Artificial Intelligence - as a driver of innovation, growth, and shared prosperity," the MEA spokesperson wrote on X.
Earlier, world leaders from Serbia, Sri Lanka, Guyana, and Bolivia arrived in New Delhi for the summit. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a visit to India, will also attend the AI Impact Summit.
India is hosting the AI Impact Summit, which began on February 16 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, as a global convening to shape the future of inclusive, responsible, and resilient artificial intelligence (AI).
Building on the momentum of previous multilateral initiatives, including the Bletchley Park, Seoul, Paris, and Kigali Summits, the AI Impact Summit is envisaged to mark a shift from aspirations to impact, demonstrating how AI can deliver tangible outcomes for People, Planet, and Progress.
As the first Global AI Summit of this series to take place in the Global South, the Impact Summit will advance a future where the transformative impact of AI serves humanity, advances inclusive growth, fosters social development, and promotes people-centric innovations that protect our planet.
The Summit builds on extensive groundwork, including five rounds of public consultations and global outreach sessions in Paris, Berlin, Oslo, New York, Geneva, Bangkok, and Tokyo. Regional events across India have ensured grassroots voices are represented, while over 50 affiliated pre-summit events worldwide have generated actionable insights and broadened participation.
Complemented by curated consultation sessions for the flagship events and working groups, these efforts reflect India's deeply participatory approach to the Impact Summit.
AI today stands at an inflection point, with the power to reshape economies, accelerate scientific discovery, and address urgent global challenges, but also the potential to widen divides if left unchecked. The Summit provides a platform to bridge this gap, ensuring that the future of AI is shaped by collective action and shared responsibility.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Strengthening the India-UK partnership on AI is a smart move. We have the talent and they have the research institutions. Hope this leads to more joint ventures and startups that can solve real problems in agriculture and healthcare here.
All these summits are good for diplomacy, but what about the actual impact? We need to see policies that prevent job losses in sectors like BPO and customer service due to AI automation. The focus must be on skilling our massive workforce.
As someone working in tech, it's encouraging to see the emphasis on "responsible" AI. The consultations across India are a good step. The real test will be implementing guardrails that work in our diverse socio-economic context, not just copying Western models.
Bharat Mandapam is becoming a real hub for global events! 🏛️ Hosting Macron and leaders from so many countries shows our growing soft power. Hope the summit outcomes are practical and lead to affordable AI tools for small farmers and local businesses.
While the intent is good, I hope this isn't just another talk shop. We've had many summits. We need binding international agreements on AI ethics and data sovereignty, especially to protect digital privacy of citizens in developing nations.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.