New Delhi, February 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘India AI Impact Expo-2026’ at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday. He visited various exhibits and learned about the AI โโtools on display.
Jio Chairman Akash Ambani was seen at the Jio AI Pavilion, showcasing the company’s AI-led transformation in healthcare, education, culture, and smart home solutions. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav. The
India AI Impact Summit 2026 kicked off today at the Bharat Mandapam. This is the first time a global conference on AI of this scale is being held in a developing country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the summit and deliver a keynote address on February 19.
The summit will shape India’s vision for global collaboration and inclusive and responsible AI. The five-day summit, running from February 16th to 20th, is being attended by over 20 heads of state and government, and over 100 government representatives, including 60 ministers and deputy ministers. Additionally, over 500 global AI leaders, including CEOs, founders, academics, researchers, CTOs, and philanthropic organizations, will also participate.
A key highlight of the summit will be the three major Global Impact Challenges โ AI for All, AI by Her, and YuvaAI โ culminating with the announcement of the finalists and a grand finale showcase. Designed to promote inclusive, responsible, and development-oriented AI, these challenges were launched to accelerate scalable, high-impact AI solutions aligned with national priorities and global development objectives. These challenges received over 4,650 applications from over 60 countries, reflecting strong international participation. This strengthens India’s emergence as a trusted global hub for responsible and scalable AI innovation.
After a rigorous multi-layered evaluation by experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from various fields, the top 70 teams across all three categories have been selected as finalists. They will present their solutions at a grand closing and awards ceremony to be held at Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi on February 16 and 17. The finalists will engage with policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and academia and receive recognition and support to promote their innovations nationally and globally.
The key academic platform of the Summit is the Research Symposium on AI and its Impact, organized in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, on February 18th.
The symposium received approximately 250 research presentations from Africa, Asia, and Latin America and will be attended by the President of the Republic of Estonia, Alar Karis, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnav, and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada.
The symposium brings together globally renowned AI experts and leading research institutions to discuss AI-powered scientific discovery, security and governance frameworks, equitable access to computing infrastructure, and research collaboration in the Global South.