INDIA AI IMPACT SUMMIT
Theme: Welfare for All, Happiness of All
Date: 16–20 February 2026
Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
INTRODUCTION
- India hosted the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
- It is the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
More than:
- 20 Heads of State
- 60 Ministers
- 500 Global AI leaders
- 300+ exhibitors from 30 countries
The Summit shows India’s strong focus on responsible, inclusive and development-oriented AI.
It is aligned with:
- Viksit Bharat@2047 vision
- Digital India
- IndiaAI Mission
The Prime Minister inaugurated the AI Impact Expo and addressed the Summit.
BASIC OVERVIEW
| Aspect | Details |
| Event | India AI Impact Summit 2026 |
| Duration | 6 days |
| Venue | Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi |
| Theme | Human-centric AI for welfare and happiness |
| Edition | 4th Global AI Summit (Earlier: UK 2023, South Korea 2024, France 2025) |
WHY AI IS IMPORTANT FOR INDIA?
- AI is not just technology.
- It is a tool for development.
- The Summit is based on 3 Sutras (Foundational Pillars):
1. People
- AI must improve lives of citizens.
2. Planet
- AI must support environment and sustainability.
3. Progress
- AI must strengthen economy and governance.
SECTOR WISE ROLE OF AI IN INDIA
AI in Healthcare
AI helps especially in rural areas.
- Remote diagnosis through AI tools
- TB and cancer detection using image analysis
- AI chatbots for telemedicine
- Disease outbreak prediction
- AI-based drug discovery
- Affordable and personalized treatment
Result: Better access, faster diagnosis, lower cost.
AI IN AGRICULTURE & RURAL ECONOMY
AI supports farmers.
- Weather prediction
- Pest control alerts
- Crop monitoring through drones
- Satellite-based harvest forecasting
- Market price prediction
- Regional language advisory (like Kisan tools)
Result: Higher income and reduced risk.
AI IN EDUCATION
- AI makes learning easy and personal.
- Adaptive learning systems
- AI tutors for 24/7 support
- Language translation into regional languages
- Personalized feedback
- Platforms like DIKSHA are using AI.
Result: Inclusive and equal learning.
AI IN FINANCE
AI improves financial security.
- Fraud detection
- AI credit scoring for loans
- Banking chatbots
- Personalized financial advice
Result: Financial inclusion and safety.
AI IN GOVERNANCE
AI improves public services.
- Translation of court judgments
- Faster scheme approvals
- Smart traffic management
- Better case management in courts
Result: Transparent and efficient governance
THREE SUTRAS
7 CHAKRAS (AREAS OF COOPERATION)
1. Human Capital
- AI skilling
- Workforce readiness
2. Inclusion for Social Empowerment
- Last-mile delivery
- Citizen-centric AI
3. Safe and Trusted AI
- Ethical AI
- Governance framework
- Public trust
4. Resilience, Innovation & Efficiency
- Sustainable AI
- Environmental responsibility
5. Science
- AI for research
- Equal access to data and compute
6. Democratizing AI Resources
- Affordable AI tools
- Startup access
- Research access
7. AI for Economic Growth & Social Good
- High-impact AI solutions
- Inclusive growth
Together, these create a structured global AI roadmap.
MAJOR EVENTS
1. AI Impact Expo
- Organized by MeitY
- Spread over 70,000 sq metres
- 300+ exhibitors
- 7 thematic pavilions
Focus: From AI research to large-scale deployment.
2. Regional AI Conferences
Held in 8 states: Meghalaya, Gujarat, Odisha, MP, UP, Rajasthan, Kerala, Telangana.
Purpose:
- Identify state-level AI needs
- Policy inputs
- Capacity gaps
3. AI Compendium
Released on 17 February 2026.
Contains real case studies of AI in:
- Health
- Education
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Gender empowerment
It acts as a knowledge document.
GLOBAL CHALLENGES
These challenges move from discussion to action.
1. AI for ALL
- Large-scale AI solutions
- Partnership with Startup India & Bhashini
- Prize up to ₹2.5 crore
2. AI by HER
- Women-led AI innovation
- In partnership with NITI Aayog
- Prize up to ₹2.5 crore Promotes gender inclusion.
3. YUVAi Challenge
- Youth (13–21 years)
- Partnership with MyBharat & NIELIT
- Prize up to ₹85 lakh
Encourages young innovators. Over 4,650 applications from 60+ countries.
KEY INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS
1. MeitY
- Policy direction
- Coordination
- Regulatory framework
2. IndiaAI Mission
- AI infrastructure
- Indigenous AI models
- Skilling programs
3. STPI
- Startup incubation
- Technical support
- Industry linkage
4. Digital India
- Digital public infrastructure
- Large-scale AI adoption
INDIA JOINS PAX SILICA
| Aspect | Details |
| Event | India joined Pax Silica at India–AI Impact Summit 2026 |
| Date | 20 February 2026 |
| Location | Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi |
| Main Objective | Strengthen India–US strategic technology cooperation |
| What is Pax Silica? | Coalition of trusted democratic nations to secure the global “Silicon Stack” |
| Silicon Stack Includes | Critical minerals, semiconductor fabs, chip design, AI systems, data centres |
| Core Aim | Reduce supply chain overdependence and prevent economic coercion |
| Strategic Principle | Economic security = National security |
STRATEGIC MEANING
The initiative covers the entire technology value chain:
- Mining of critical minerals
- Semiconductor fabrication
- Chip packaging and testing
- AI model development
- Data centre deployment
It ensures:
- Diversified supply chains
- Reduced geopolitical risk
- Stronger global partnerships
This reduces risk of overconcentration in one region.
M.A.N.A.V.
- Background
- At the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a clear and value-based vision for artificial intelligence.
- He said AI should not be seen only as data, machines, and algorithms. It must reflect human values, ethics, and dignity.
- India, being home to one-sixth of the world’s population and the largest youth population, has both opportunity and responsibility in shaping global AI discussions.
- To guide this approach, the Prime Minister introduced the framework called A.N.A.V.
MEANING OF MANAV
M.A.N.A.V. stands for:
- M – Moral and Ethical Systems
- A – Accountable Governance
- N – National Sovereignty
- A – Accessible and Inclusive AI
- V – Valid and Legitimate Systems
It is a roadmap for responsible AI development.
PILLAR 1: MORAL & ETHICAL SYSTEMS
- AI must be fair, transparent, and unbiased.
- Human oversight is necessary.
- Ethical AI design is non-negotiable.
- National Education Policy 2020 promotes AI literacy and computational thinking.
- India secured Guinness World Record with 2,50,946 pledges for responsible AI in 24 hours.
- Ethics must move from policy to public commitment.
PILLAR 2: ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE
- Trust in AI depends on clear rules and oversight.
- IndiaAI Mission approved with ₹10,300+ crore outlay.
- Focus on compute infrastructure, datasets, skilling, and innovation.
- AI Governance Guidelines promote fairness, accountability, and transparency.
- AI systems must be explainable and aligned with democratic values.
PILLAR 3: NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY
- Sovereignty includes control over data, algorithms, and digital infrastructure.
- India Semiconductor Mission strengthens domestic chip manufacturing.
- Focus on trusted data governance frameworks.
- Investment in domestic compute capacity and secure digital infrastructure.
- Aim: Strategic autonomy without digital isolation.
PILLAR 4: ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE AI
- AI should benefit all sections of society.
- Digital Public Infrastructure enables large-scale AI deployment.
- MeghRaj GI Cloud supports cloud services.
- IndiaAI Compute Portal provides access to GPUs and TPUs.
- IndiaAI Kosh offers datasets and AI models.
- National Supercomputing Mission strengthens computing capacity.
- Goal: Reduce entry barriers for startups, researchers, and institutions.
PILLAR 5: VALID & LEGITIMATE SYSTEMS
- AI systems must be safe, lawful, and trustworthy.
- IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 regulate synthetic content and deepfakes.
- Safe and Trusted AI pillar focuses on:
- Bias mitigation
- Privacy protection
- Algorithm auditing
- Risk assessment
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