New Delhi: The ‘India AI Impact Summit 2026’ next month has received a phenomenal response from across the world and is shaping up to be the biggest AI summit so far globally, Ministry of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said on Friday.
Vaishnaw said that leading IT companies have developed more than 200 focused, sector-specific AI models, which are proposed to be launched during the AI Impact Summit.
He further said that investments worth nearly $70 billion are already flowing into the AI infrastructure layer, with the potential to double by the conclusion of the Summit, and that AI talent development will be scaled up by extending AI infrastructure and industry-finalised curricula to 500 universities, creating a strong talent pipeline for the sector.
The minister referred to the recent interactions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with industry leaders, developers and innovators working across the AI value chain, including models, applications and infrastructure, noting that these engagements reflected the systematic progress of India’s AI ecosystem and a strong focus on deployment-led solutions.
India is preparing to host the first-ever global AI summit in the Global South from February 16–20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam here.
S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, said the central objective of the India AI Impact Summit is to advance the democratisation of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to ensure that its benefits reach a wide cross-section of society.
He noted that as the first global AI summit being hosted in the Global South, the Summit places emphasis on aligning approaches to AI governance and standards, with the aim of fostering a shared global understanding on the safe and responsible deployment of AI in real-world applications.
The Summit week will feature around 500+ curated events across Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, enabling parallel leader-level dialogues, exhibitions, and outcome-oriented sessions.
The AI Impact Expo will host 840+ exhibitors, including Country Pavilions, Ministries, State Governments, Industry, Startups, and Research Institutions, showcasing AI solutions with proven real-world impact. IndiaAI will also demonstrate progress on India’s foundational AI models.
(IANS)
