AI Summit 2026 Updates: 'India is well-positioned to be a leader in AI,' says former UK PM Rishi Sunak

Industry leaders at the India AI Summit 2026 described the summit as a galvanising moment for the country, highlighting India's unique position as a talent hub capable of driving innovation on a global scale. The discussions focused on moving from a service-based economy to a product-oriented one while ensuring that AI adoption remains inclusive and focused on social good. -- ANI

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has positioned telecommunications as the indispensable backbone of the nation's technological evolution, declaring that "Telecom will power India's AI future" during the India AI Impact Summit 2026. In a strategic collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), the COAI hosted high-level sessions focused on the synergy between next-generation networks and artificial intelligence. The summit underscored a pivotal shift: AI is no longer just a software play, but a physical infrastructure challenge that relies heavily on the robustness of India's digital highways. -- ANI

Evan Solomon, Canada's Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, on Wednesday said the ongoing India AI Impact Summit is working towards ensuring fairness and wider accessibility in artificial intelligence, while emphasising the importance of rebuilding strong economic ties between India and Canada. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Solomon said Canada is focused on strengthening partnerships with India across key sectors, particularly in AI and technology.

The opposition leaders on Wednesday said the display of a commercially available Chinese robot as an in-house innovation by an Indian university at the AI Summit was "shameful" and slammed IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for sharing the image on a social media platform They also questioned the links between the university and BJP leaders. In an X post, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas alleged that the Galgotias University, a private university located in Delhi's satellite town Greater Noida, enjoyed the "patronage and support of prominent BJP leaders". -- PTI

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said. During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held talks with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. PM Modi described the meeting as "outstanding," stating that India-Bhutan friendship continues to expand into new and transformative domains. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "The meeting with PM Tshering Tobgay was outstanding. We discussed how we can harness the power of AI for global good and in harmony with principles of sustainability. Our enduring India-Bhutan friendship, rooted in mutual trust, goodwill and close ties between our two peoples, continues to guide our partnership into new and transformative domains." -- ANI

'India has been producing extraordinary companies like Flipkart, Oyo. The developer energy I find in India is second to none. Recently, the work Sarvam has done developing local AI models, what you're talking about is actually happening. India is very well positioned,' says Sundar Pichai.

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, on February 18 said India has the opportunity to become a global leader in applying artificial intelligence to science and medicine, and strengthen sectors such as agriculture and creative industries where AI is already being applied.

India on February 18 unveiled three sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) models at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, as domestic startups and national initiatives stepped up efforts to build homegrown alternatives to global AI systems dominated by Big Tech. Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm welcome to several world leaders at Bharat Mandapam. Among them were Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Bolivia’s Vice President Edmand Lara Montano, Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Slovakia’s President Peter Pellegrini, Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Estonia’s President Alar Karis, Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Seychelles Vice President Sebastien Pillay, and Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Bharat Mandapam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, at Bharat Mandapam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at Bharat Mandapam.

PM Modi welcomes Kazakhstan PM Olzhas Bektenov to the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.

PM Modi welcomes UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.

PM Modi welcomes Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic, to the India AI Impact Summit.

PM Narendra Modi receives Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof at the India AI Impact Summit.

PM Modi welcomes President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, to the India AI Impact Summit.

"India is well-positioned to be a leader in AI," says Former UK PM Rishi Sunak at 'AI for All: Reimagining Global Cooperation' session of AI Summit. "Over the years, AI debate has shifted from technology to strategy," he added.

PM Modi received IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva at Bharat Mandapam where AI Impact Summit is taking place.

Two contractual employees have been arrested for allegedly stealing wearable devices belonging to Bengaluru-based startup from the AI Impact Summit venue at Bharat Mandapam, police sources said on Wednesday. According to the source, the accused have been identified as Manish Nagar and Ashish Mahariya, who were hired on a contractual basis to carry out videography work at the event. "Duo picked up some devices from the venue, mistaking them for pen drives and believing they could be of personal use. The stolen devices -- AI wearable -- have been recovered," the source said. -- PTI

The Center of Policy Research and Governance (CPRG) hosted a main summit event entitled "Data for Development: Building AI in the Global South" at Bharat Mandapam, as part of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The dialogue brought together leading academicians and experts. The panel explored how improving access to data and AI tools, strengthening local model development, and moving from being consumers to creators of AI can help countries in the Global South shape their own digital futures. They also highlighted the importance of ethical design and sustainable infrastructure as digital capacity expands. -- ANI

India has a rare opportunity to emerge as a “full-stack” player in artificial intelligence — not only as a massive user base but also as a builder and shaper of the technology — Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on February 18.

“I think India is in a unique position at this moment. It has a chance to play a big role in all three — as a user, as a builder and as a shaper of AI,” Pichai said at a Google event in New Delhi.

Kenya on Wednesday called for enhanced collaboration with India in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor manufacturing and critical mineral development, highlighting the growing momentum of South-South cooperation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in the national capital. Speaking at the summit, Shikoh Gatua, Chief Administrative Officer of Qhala, Kenya, praised India's leadership and hosting of the event, stating that the engagement had translated ideas into tangible partnerships."It's been amazing. India has been an amazing host. Our startups and innovators have met incredible collaborators. We are seeing it move from paper to pavement when we talk about South-South collaboration. In the last three days, we have seen clear curiosity and acknowledgement that we need to work together," Gatua said.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, today announced that India has successfully achieved the Guinness World Records title for the "Most pledges received for an AI responsibility campaign in 24 hours," with a staggering 250,946 valid pledges received during the 24 hours from February 16-17. The announcement was made during the Summit in the presence of S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, CEO, IndiaAI Mission and DG, NIC; Kavita Bhatia, COO, IndiaAI; Srinivasan Iyengar, SVP and GM, Central Engineering Group, Intel; and Pravin Patel, Guinness World Records Adjudicator, who officially verified the achievement. -- ANI

QNu Labs, a global leader in hybrid quantum cybersecurity solutions, showcases a live demonstration of quantum-secured AI infrastructure at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 from 17th to 20th February, where the company is sharing space with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Aligned with the Summit's focus on responsible and scalable AI adoption under the IndiaAI Mission, QNu Labs is demonstrating how sovereign hybrid quantum security can serve as a foundational layer for protecting AI systems, data centres, and mission-critical digital infrastructure as India advances its AI ambitions. -- ANI

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived in Delhi on Wednesday to attend the India-AI Impact Summit. Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said the visit will further strengthen India's partnership with the UN. In a post on X, he said, "Hearty welcome to the Secretary General of UN Antonio Guterres, to New Delhi for the India-AI Impact Summit. Warmly received by Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road & for Transport & Highways Harsh Malhotra. India is committed to multilateralism, sustainable development and global peace and the visit of Mr. Antonio Guterres will further strengthen India's partnership with the UN."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday inaugurate the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which aims to position the country as a leader in the field of artificial intelligence and envisions a future where the technology advances humanity and fosters inclusive growth. Modi will also welcome the leaders of the various participating countries at the summit venue, Bharat Mandapam, this evening, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in an official statement on Wednesday. -- PTI

Galgotias University issues a press statement following the row over the display of a Chinese-made robodog at the AI Impact Summit expo. "We at Galgotias University, wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent Al Summit. One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press... Understanding the organisers sentiment we have vacated the premises."

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof cautioned against concentrated control over artificial intelligence, saying, “There is a small group that develops something, takes the lead, and decides what path to take,” while “the rest of the world watches with nervous anticipation.” Stressing the need for broader participation, he urged nations to “step out of the shadows and assert your own influence,” warning that a “dangerously fast rollout” has already triggered “large-scale disinformation campaigns and social disruption.” -- PTI

Private university Galgotias has been asked to vacate its stall at the AI Impact Summit after a controversy over display of a made-in-China robotic dog as its own innovation. Following the controversy, IT Secretary S Krishnan said the government does not want any exhibitor to showcase items that are not their own. “We do not want such exhibits to continue,” he said, after organisers asked Galgotias University to vacate its stall. -- PTI

Speaking about India’s history of leapfrogging technological shifts, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said AI represents a similarly transformative opportunity. “I literally expect every sector, every context, and every workflow to be transformed by it,” he said, citing partnerships like the one with AIIMS to help doctors through AI-generated reports. “Leapfrog means that in each of these sectors, you radically transform how the workflow happens,” he added, stressing that AI will “create new things at an incredibly fast trajectory” and enhance people’s lives “in a pretty profound way.” -- PTI

"Today, we are announcing the India-America Connect Initiative, which will deliver new sub-sea cable routes to increase AI connectivity between India and the US and multiple locations across the southern hemisphere. For the opportunities this initiative creates, we should also invest in skilling, which is why we are announcing our most ambitious skilling programs here. This includes a new Google AI Professional Certificate program to master AI in their work," says Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. -- ANI

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledges the work Sarvam has done in AI model development.

AI Summit 2026 Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrive in Delhi to attend Summit

Sundar Pichai announces a partnership between the Central government and Google DeepMind for frontier AI development.

'India is uniquely positioned. India has to ensure that investment goes into research, diffusing AI into all sectors of the country, the foundational layer,' says Sundar Pichai.

'This is a transformational moment (on the India AI impact summit). Seems like the beginning of a decade-long transformation,'  says Sundar Pichai.

'We are partnering with Atal Tinkering Labs to bring robotics and coding to classrooms,' says Sundar Pichai.

'India has undergone incredible transformation. Indian users are one of the highest global adopters of voice and image search. India is one of the largest markets for Geminim' says Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

Hyperlocal drone delivery platform Skye Air Mobility, in partnership with Arrive AI and Ottonomy, on Wednesday demonstrated the end-to-end autonomous commerce delivery system at the India AI Impact Summit. The solution integrates Skye Air's aerial drones with smart infrastructure and ground robotics to deliver packages directly to customers' doorsteps without any human intervention. Skye Air Mobility brings operational experience to the partnership, having successfully completed 3.6 million deliveries over the past two years, underscoring the company's operational excellence and the maturity of its drone delivery technology in real-world conditions, the company said. -- PTI

Bengio cautions that many governments operate under the false belief that simply deploying AI tools will be sufficient. He warns India could become dependent on foreign AI systems that major labs might restrict or cut off, and stresses that adapting existing global models is not enough to reflect local culture, languages and societal needs.

Bengio argues that most governments are not doing enough to address employment disruption caused by artificial intelligence. He says reskilling alone is not a solution because those losing jobs are rarely the same people who end up working in machine learning or advanced tech roles. He also flags an imbalance where wealth is created in one country while job losses occur in another, adding that top AI labs are overly focused on short-term sales, revenues and benchmarks instead of broader social benefit.

The “godfather of AI” says India should actively seek partnerships with countries that share concerns about technological hegemony rather than relying on a handful of dominant powers. Bengio adds that Big Tech is not investing enough in AI risk management and is instead “patching problems one after another,” warning that scenarios where AI agents could collude to escape human control remain a serious concern.

India has the potential to emerge as a global hub for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), supported by its agricultural resources, engineering talent and growing focus on clean technology, according to Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director for India and South Asia at Airbus.

Speaking about sustainability in aviation, Westermeier said India possesses the necessary raw materials — particularly agricultural residue — along with a strong engineering talent pool that could enable the country to become a major producer of sustainable aviation fuel. Read copy here

Wales reveals that Wikipedia has seen an 8 per cent decline in human traffic, calling the fall “a disaster” but acknowledging it reflects the broader transformation in how users seek information online.

On employment and automation, Wales says AI will make certain skills more valuable as people are able to do the same work faster. He describes the current phase as a time of “great flux and great change,” cautioning that while some professions may decline, it is difficult to predict exactly which ones.

Wales dismisses comparisons between Wikipedia and emerging AI-driven knowledge platforms, saying there is “no competition” and calling the idea of “Grokepedia” unrealistic. He adds that India is especially well positioned to benefit from AI due to its advanced IT ecosystem.

Jimmy Wales says giving proper attribution is an ethical responsibility in the digital age, adding that artificial intelligence systems have so far not performed well on this front. He notes that the way people access and consume information is undergoing a major shift.

Hassabis warns that the world is entering an “agentic era” where safeguards will be essential. He flags risks from bad actors, geopolitical misuse, and emerging bio and cyber threats, while also calling this a huge opportunity for young people in India to become highly proficient with AI tools.

Explaining AI’s evolution, Hassabis says early research took inspiration from the human brain. Reinforcement learning succeeded because “learning is key, not being programmed,” he notes, adding that systems that learn directly from data demonstrate how efficient the brain truly is.

Hassabis describes the present moment as the beginning of a golden era for science and innovation, saying advances in AI could unlock breakthroughs across multiple disciplines and usher in a new phase of human progress.

Demis Hassabis says the world has not yet achieved artificial general intelligence, noting that current AI systems still struggle with continued learning, long-term planning and overall consistency. He adds that models can crack Olympiad-level maths problems yet still make errors in elementary arithmetic, calling progress “jagged.”

• Demis Hassabis says it has been “amazing to see the progress in just over a decade,” calling the current phase of AI development a threshold moment.

• Hassabis notes that artificial general intelligence could be “on the horizon in five to eight years,” describing the period as pivotal for the industry.

• He says the summit comes at a “critical time” as the world begins to see the early emergence of autonomous systems.

• Calling AI “the most transformative technology in human history,” Hassabis stresses the importance of global forums that bring the international community together.

• He underlines the need for international cooperation to mitigate risks associated with rapid AI advancement.

• Hassabis predicts the world is entering a “golden era” of scientific discovery, likening it to the beginning of an entirely new epoch.

• On inspiration behind AI systems, he says research initially took cues from how the human brain functions.

• Reinforcement learning, he explains, has been successful because “learning is key, not being programmed.”

• Allowing systems to learn directly from data is what makes modern AI powerful, he adds.

• He also points out that AI research has revealed how efficient the brain is, noting it does not need to “ingest the entire internet” to function effectively.

Special traffic arrangements will be in place today from 4 pm to 10 pm due to events linked to the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Delhi Police has advised commuters to plan their journeys in advance, avoid affected stretches and strictly follow directions issued by traffic personnel at key intersections.

Motorists have been urged to maintain lane discipline, avoid unnecessary halts and allow extra travel time.

Suggested alternate routes include San Martin Marg, Panchsheel Marg, APJ Abdul Kalam Marg, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Aurobindo Marg, Lodhi Road, South Avenue Road, Vandematram Marg, Barapullah Road, Ring Road, Tilak Marg, Ferozshah Road, Rafi Marg, Sansad Marg and K. Kamraj Marg.