UN’s Chief Guterres believes India is the ‘right place’ for a global AI reset, here's why

In an interview with PTI, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says India is the right place to host the AI Summit 2026 and calls for inclusive, multipolar AI governance.

• India to host the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 in February.
• UN chief Guterres praises India's leadership on inclusive AI.
• Guterres urges AI benefits for all, not just developed nations.

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said India is the 'right place' to host the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, asserting that artificial intelligence must serve the entire world and not become the preserve of a handful of powerful nations.

In an exclusive interview with PTI at the UN Headquarters, Guterres strongly endorsed India’s leadership in convening the first-ever AI summit in the Global South, warning that it would be 'totally unacceptable' for AI to be confined to developed economies or divided between two superpowers.

“I strongly congratulate India for organising this Summit. It's absolutely essential that AI develops itself to the benefit of everybody, everywhere and that countries in the Global South are part of the benefits of AI,” Guterres told PTI.

The Summit, scheduled from February 16 to 20, is anchored in the principles of ‘People, Planet and Progress’ and will bring together world leaders, policymakers and technology executives.

“It would be totally unacceptable that AI would be just a privilege of the most developed countries or a division only between two superpowers,” Guterres said, in an apparent reference to the United States and China.

“It is absolutely essential that AI becomes a universal instrument for the benefit of humankind,” he added.

Guterres described India as a 'very successful emerging economy' with a growing role in shaping both the global economy and international affairs.

“The role of India, (which) is today a very successful emerging economy that is having a bigger and bigger role in not only the global economy but in its influence in global affairs, India is the right place to have this Summit,” he told PTI.

He said India is well positioned to ensure that AI is debated not only for its vast potential but also for its risks, while keeping the focus on inclusivity.

The UN chief will travel to India to attend the Summit, joined by senior UN leaders including High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk and UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology Amandeep Singh Gill.

Guterres reiterated his advocacy for a multipolar global order, arguing that the world must avoid both total hegemony by one power and a binary division between two superpowers.

“There are two things we need to avoid in the world. We need to avoid the system in which there is total hegemony by only one power or a system in which the world is divided between two superpowers,” he told PTI.

He said emerging economies must play a stronger role in shaping global governance and cited the recent India–European Union trade agreement as a positive example of diversified partnerships.

Expressing frustration over the UN Security Council’s inability to address ongoing conflicts, Guterres called for fundamental reform to reflect today’s geopolitical realities.

“For a fair multilateral system, both in the UN and international financial institutions, emerging economies need to have a stronger voice,” he said, adding that he sees India “in the centre” of those emerging economies.

He said he looks forward to discussing these issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit.

Guterres also reflected on India’s historical influence, describing it as a civilisation that has shaped global culture and trade networks for centuries.

“It is always fantastic to go to India, a democracy with an enormous diversity and extraordinary civilisation and culture,” he told PTI.