New Delhi, February 18 – Amidst the uproar over alleged mismanagement and chaos at the ongoing India AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam, former Information and Technology (IT) minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday sought to defend the organization of the "largest ever" AI-related congregation in India, bringing together numerous tech giants and global leaders for extensive discussions and deliberations on Artificial Intelligence and deep tech.
He drew a comparison between the AI Summits, held in India, Europe, and other parts of the world in the past two years, highlighting the scale and intensity of participation and, in turn, suggesting the possible reasons behind the botched arrangements at Bharat Mandapam.
"The India AI Impact Summit 2026 has already attracted reported attendance of over 300,000 – compared to the few thousands at other summits," he informed, and also shared data on turnout at previous such congregations.
According to information shared by him, a similar AI Summit in the UK's Bletchley Park (November 2023) drew attendees in the hundreds, while in South Korea's Seoul (May 2024), a similar turnout occurred with people participating in a hybrid mode, and the one in France's Paris (February 2005) saw a moderate congregation with over a few thousand AI enthusiasts and experts gathering for deliberations.
Chandrasekhar further stated that the India AI Impact Summit showcases India's capability and strength in demonstrating to the world how it can harness technology and innovation for the benefit of 1.4 crore Indians.
Notably, the first-of-its-kind AI Summit provided the Opposition with an opportunity to criticize the government over "inept and inefficient" handling of the event, which they claimed could have been a game-changer.
The issue also gained traction on social media, eliciting remarks from netizens and the Congress launching a scathing critique of the government, holding it accountable for the "chaos" that unfolded. They argued that AI could have been a showcase at the AI event, but it became a "victim of a government obsessed with public relations."
Rajeev Chandrasekhar admitted that the summit had some organizational flaws and attributed the alleged mismanagement to the large number of Indian participants, who remain key stakeholders in Prime Minister Modi's vision of a digital, tech, and AI-driven India.
"This summit represents an important milestone for PM Modi's vision of an India Techade," he added.
He also stated that Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and his team were considerate enough to express regret for some inconvenience at the Summit; however, it was the unprecedented interest and excitement among the Indian people regarding India's role and contribution in shaping the AI landscape that led to these circumstances, though isolated.
