AI Impact Summit Delhi Updates: 'Glimpse of extraordinary potential of AI, Indian talent,' says PM Modi after inaugurating Expo

The opening day of the India AI Impact Summit was marred by confusion and complaints of mismanagement, prompting sharp criticism from Congress leader Pawan Khera and frustration among delegates, entrepreneurs and journalists attending the event. Read more

Union Health Minister J P Nadda will launch two key national initiatives, the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India (SAHI) and the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH), at the India AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam on Tuesday.

The SAHI is a national guidance framework to enable safe, ethical, evidence-based and inclusive adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across India's healthcare system. -- PTI

AI Impact Summit Delhi Live: 'We will shape solutions not just for India but for the world,' posts PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi posts on X, "Inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. Being here among innovators, researchers, and tech enthusiasts gives a glimpse of the extraordinary potential of AI, Indian talent, and innovation. Together, we will shape solutions not just for India but for the world!"

AI Impact Summit Delhi Live: PM Modi interacts with exhibitors at India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam

India's AI Impact Summit, an event meant to showcase the country's technology ambitions, faced a wave of online criticism on its opening day on Monday as attendees reported long queues, overcrowding and organizational lapses at the New Delhi venue. Several delegates told Reuters unclear instructions had left many scrambling to reclaim possessions after the exhibition building was suddenly cleared ahead of security sweeps for high-level arrivals. Some speakers due on Tuesday panels were still awaiting confirmation of sessions and agendas. Attendees said poor signage and limited seating added to confusion at the summit, where about 250,000 people are expected, and some sessions could not accommodate all those seeking entry. -- Reuters

"There are things about AI safety, cybersecurity track, and multiple other things on which we are working on," says Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

AI Impact Summit Delhi Live: Jio Chairman Akash Ambani showcases company’s AI-led transformation to PM Modi

AI Impact Summit Delhi Live: PM Modi interacts with stalls, startups at Bharat Mandapam

AI is a critical tool for solving India's talent shortages in essential public sectors rather than a threat to the overall labour market, argues Neeraj Aggarwal, Managing Director & Partner at BCG. He believes that for a country facing a lack of professionals in key areas, the technology serves as a necessary force to expand reach and impact.

"I think it's question which needs a lot of examination," Aggarwal stated. "I think there are lots of problems where India is talent deficit. Take healthcare, take education. We need more doctors, we need more teachers. So for many of those problems, AI is a huge multiplier." While Aggarwal acknowledges that the composition of the workforce will shift, he remains optimistic that the "net-net" result will be a benefit to society. -- ANI

AI Impact Summit Delhi Live: PM Modi visits India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Greenbaum of Reichman University’s ZVI Meitar Institute said the event marks a major step for the Global South in shaping AI governance. Calling it India’s first large-scale AI summit for developing nations, he stressed the importance of India building its own AI models and asserting its voice in the global AI ecosystem. -- ANI

"In the next few days of the AI summit, we are looking at the impact of AI on human society. There are positive impacts of AI, including weather forecasting, climate change, agriculture, the discovery of new materials, and productivity gains. There are potential negative impacts. We are looking at how to balance these impacts so we can capture the benefits while containing the harms. We will come out with a good outcome from this summit," says Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

"The programme organised by CII for AI based startups on the sideline of the Summit is great. India's top AI startups are participating in it. AI is a necessity for the country. We are the best in the analytical part of AI in the world... When Excel was first launched, people thought that it would be disruptive. AI will help humankind," Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industries and Internal Trade (DPIIT), tells ANI.

Indian AI and gaming startups take centre stage, showcasing cutting-edge innovations that place the country at the forefront of AI-powered gaming and immersive technologies. The summit, positioned as a premier global platform on Artificial Intelligence, brings together policymakers, investors, technology leaders and startups to highlight real-world AI applications across sectors. Among the standout participants are five Indian ventures -- Yesgnome, Metasports (Hitwicket), Koyozo, Youth Buzz (Ourcadium) and Evivve -- each presenting unique AI-driven solutions that are reshaping gaming, creative production, and enterprise transformation. -- ANI

Commuters at several parts of the national capital on Monday reported traffic congestion and travel delays, with enhanced security arrangements and traffic diversions coming into force for the five-day AI Impact Summit at the Bharat Mandapam.

Long queues of vehicles and near-zero movement were reported on key arterial routes and transport hubs, including the Delhi-Meerut Expressway near Sarai Kale Khan, the DND Flyway, the Vikas Marg-ITO stretch, Naraina, the Delhi Cantt Metro station area, and the Old Delhi Railway Station-Pul Mithai corridor. -- PTI

AI Summit Delhi Live: Visuals from inside AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam

"How do we ensure AI safety using a techno-legal framework is what we are looking at. The potential lies in small models for specific sectors... You need SLM or Agentic AI. We have to do it in a way so that we can create more jobs with the use of AI," Principal Scientific Advisor to the Central government, Ajay Sood, tells Moneycontrol.

'AI should be for all people and not a specific set of people': Principal Scientific Advisor to the Central government, Ajay Sood, tells Moneycontrol.

• AAP MP Raghav Chadha said the ongoing AI summit has placed India firmly on the global map when it comes to shaping conversations around artificial intelligence and technology governance.

• He asserted that countries with strong compute capacity are likely to “rule the world,” underlining the strategic importance of infrastructure and processing power in the AI era.

• Chadha pointed to what he described as three global monopolies in artificial intelligence — design control by select companies, manufacturing concentration, and export restrictions such as those imposed by the United States.

• He noted that while India may not yet dominate these three pillars, the country possesses a strong advantage in human capital, adding that the world increasingly looks to India for AI talent.

• Emphasising the infrastructure gap, Chadha said “talent without compute is aspiration,” stressing the need for India to secure access to computing resources, diversify supply chains and build domestic infrastructure.

• Drawing a historical parallel, he said that just as oil, gas and steel determined power blocs in the 20th century, artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing would define geopolitical influence in the 21st century.

The first of the 10 approved projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 1) will begin commercial production by the end of February, S Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said on February 16.

Speaking on the first day of the India AI Impact Summit, Krishnan said Micron will be producing high-bandwidth memory (HBM) needed for artificial intelligence applications.

Krishnan said India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 announced in the Union Budget on February 1, will further strengthen manufacturing capabilities with sustained government support.

He added that recent Budget measures have clarified tax treatment for overseas firms setting up AI cloud and data centre capacity in India for global operations. (Read full story) 

• Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada described the ongoing AI summit as the “Mahakumbh for artificial intelligence,” saying the scale and participation reflect a historic moment for India’s digital journey.

• Calling it a defining phase in India’s growth story, he said technology and trade are emerging as the twin engines driving the country’s economic expansion.

• Prasada stressed that the technology sector is moving at an unprecedented pace and warned that governments that fail to remain agile risk being left behind in the global race.

• He said India is already the “talent capital of the world,” but cautioned that without constant adaptation to future technologies, the advantage could narrow.

• Emphasising youth empowerment, the minister noted that artificial intelligence must go beyond being an academic subject and instead become a capacity-building tool for young Indians.

• He urged policymakers and industry leaders to focus on sector-specific and region-specific AI deployment rather than limiting conversations only to large language models.

• Highlighting expectations from developing nations, Prasada said the Global South now wants to see tangible life-impacting AI solutions rather than theoretical debates.

• He added that AI must directly contribute to improving both ease of doing business and ease of living for citizens.

• Reiterating the government’s stance on inclusivity, Prasada said the objective is not to keep advanced technology in the hands of a few but to democratise access across society.

• He underscored that young and rural India must benefit from AI just as much as urban centres, ensuring balanced digital growth.

• Calling data the “fuel” of the AI ecosystem, he said efforts are underway to make quality data available so that technology can genuinely transform lives.

• Drawing a parallel with the early internet era, Prasada said India must avoid creating “haves and have-nots” in artificial intelligence adoption and ensure equitable technological access for all.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha on Monday said he will deliver a session at the AI Impact Summit 2026 being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Announcing his participation through a post on X, Chadha described the summit as a “defining moment” that would shape how the country governs, builds and protects its citizens in the coming years.

His session, scheduled to begin at 1.30 pm, is titled “Power, protection and progress – Legislators and the AI era.” Chadha said lawmakers must remain ahead of rapid technological change and ensure that artificial intelligence evolves within a framework of law and accountability. He added that he looks forward to participating in what he called a serious conversation on balancing power, public protection and technological progress in the age of AI.

The opening day will begin with a detailed session on artificial intelligence for road safety, emphasising data-driven approaches to reduce accidents and improve mobility outcomes. Experts from the Ministry of Transport, IITs and multiple sectors are expected to discuss crash-pattern analytics, predictive risk modelling and scalable AI tools that can enable proactive interventions, safer driver training and hyperlocal safety solutions.

• India can become the first large society where human abundance and machine intelligence reinforce each other, says Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran

• AI progress “will not happen by drift”; requires urgency, political will and strong state capacity

• Calls for a “Team India” approach involving government, private sector, academia and policymakers

• Warns that every year of delay narrows economic and technological options

• Stresses need to strengthen foundational education and scale high-quality skills

• Urges expansion of labour-intensive service sectors and removal of regulatory bottlenecks

• Cautions that lack of calibrated action could trigger social and economic instability

• Says first step toward AI-led prosperity must begin with education and foundational skill reforms

• Emphasises AI must be used to drive inclusive, broad-based economic growth, not disruption

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the India AI Impact Summit has drawn global attention to the country’s growing technological capabilities, calling it a moment of pride for the nation and a reflection of the potential of India’s youth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi credited India’s 1.4 billion citizens for the country’s growing leadership in artificial intelligence, saying the nation’s progress is being driven by people-led innovation and responsibility.

In a post on X, the prime minister highlighted India’s expanding digital public infrastructure, a vibrant startup ecosystem and advances in cutting-edge research, noting that the country’s AI journey reflects both ambition and accountability.

“Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. From digital public infrastructure to a vibrant StartUp ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility,” he wrote.

Authorities have shared day-wise access timings for delegates:

• Feb 16: Convention Centre and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan open 9:30 AM–6 PM; Expo closed

• Feb 17: All venues open 9:30 AM–6 PM; cultural event 6:30 PM

• Feb 18: Convention Centre and Expo 9:30 AM–4:30 PM; SSB till 6 PM

• Feb 19: Restricted access at Convention Centre; Expo 11 AM–6 PM; inaugural invite-only

• Feb 20: All venues open 9:30 AM–6 PM; cultural event 6 PM

Bharat Mandapam will host plenary sessions and the large-scale AI Expo, while thematic discussions will also take place at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan. Exhibition Halls will remain the centre of expo activity through the week.

New Delhi is preparing for a high-activity week as the India AI Impact Summit 2026 begins from February 16 at Bharat Mandapam. Authorities have rolled out access norms, security protocols and travel advisories with over two lakh participants expected across five days. Parallel arrangements are also in place for CBSE board examinations and routine court functioning.