The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 is set to begin today at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This five-day summit is the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South. Leaders from 20 nations are scheduled to attend the event. These include French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mauritian Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, Seychellois Vice President Sebastien Pillay, and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that leaders from Bolivia, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Serbia, and Slovakia will also participate in the summit.
Delegations from over 45 countries will participate in the summit. The UN Secretary-General and senior officials from several international organizations will also participate in the discussions. The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 is guided by three core principles, or "Sutras," which articulate the guiding principles for global cooperation on AI. These are: People, Planet, and Progress. The summit's deliberations are organized through thematic areas, known as "Chakras" or working groups, structured around seven interconnected areas. These areas include Human Capital, Inclusion for Social Empowerment, Safe and Trusted AI, Science, Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency, Democratizing AI Resources, and AI for Economic Development and Social Good. Over 100 countries have been invited to the summit, and over 200,000 people have registered online. The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 strengthens India's role as a key platform for shaping the global AI agenda. The summit positions India as a convener and partner in global AI cooperation, supporting shared standards, collaborative frameworks, and scalable solutions for the public good. It marks a transition from dialogue to action, reinforcing India's commitment to responsible, inclusive, and development-focused AI pathways.
