India-AI Impact Summit 2026 to Begin in New Delhi, Global Leaders to Deliberate on Future of AI

New Delhi: The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 will commence in the national capital tomorrow, marking the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South. The five-day event is expected to bring together world leaders, policymakers, technology experts and representatives from international organisations to shape the future course of artificial intelligence.

Leaders from 20 countries are scheduled to attend the summit. Among them are French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof, UAE Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mauritius Prime Minister Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, Seychelles Vice President Sebastien Pillay and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, leaders from Bolivia, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Serbia and Slovakia will also participate. Ministerial delegations from more than 45 countries are expected, along with the UN Secretary General and senior representatives of several international organisations.

The summit is structured around three foundational pillars, described as Sutras: People, Planet and Progress. Discussions will take place through seven thematic Working Groups, referred to as Chakras. These focus on Human Capital, Inclusion for Social Empowerment, Safe and Trusted AI, Science, Resilience, Innovation and Efficiency, and Democratizing AI Resources along with AI for Economic Development and Social Good.

Over 100 countries have been invited to the summit, and more than two lakh participants have registered online. The event is being positioned as a significant step in strengthening India’s role in shaping the global AI framework, encouraging cooperation, shared standards and scalable solutions for public benefit.

The summit also signals a move from policy discussions to implementation, underscoring India’s commitment to advancing responsible, inclusive and development-oriented AI initiatives.