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20 leaders from around the globe will participate in the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 to be held in the national capital from February 16 to 20, according to the official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The press release also stated that Ministerial delegations from over 45 countries will participate in the Summit, with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Senior Officials from several international organisations joining the deliberations. Anchored in three guiding Sutras - People, Planet, Progress - the Summit reflects India's approach to shaping global cooperation on AI, with a focus on inclusive growth, sustainability and technological advancement. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Heads of State and Government are scheduled to attend the Summit. The leaders include the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay; Vice President of Bolivia, Edmand Lara Montano; President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic; President of Estonia, Alar Karis; Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo; President of France, Emmanuel Macron; Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis; Vice President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo; and Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov. The other 10 leaders to participate are Hereditary Prince of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Prince Alois; Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navin Ramgoolam; President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic; President of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini; President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez; President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Disanayaka; Vice President of Seychelles, Sebastien Pillay; President of Switzerland, Guy Parmelin; Prime Minister of Netherlands, Dick Schoof and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi from UAE, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 aims to foster dialogue on responsible AI governance, innovation ecosystems, digital public infrastructure, climate-conscious technology and equitable access to emerging technologies. The Summit is envisioned as a pivotal global platform to shape a future-oriented agenda for inclusive, responsible, and impactful AI, and it aims to move beyond high-level discussions to deliver tangible outcomes that support economic growth, social development, and the sustainable use of AI. The Summit will be structured around three core pillars -- People, Planet, and Progress -- with discussions focusing on employment and skilling, sustainable and energy-efficient AI, and economic and social development. Seven thematic working groups, co-chaired by representatives from the Global North and Global South, will present concrete deliverables, including proposals for AI Commons, trusted AI tools, shared compute infrastructure and sector-specific compendiums of AI use cases. Participants will also gain insights into how AI is impacting various professions and industries, the new skills required in the evolving job market, opportunities for startups to engage with investors and partners, and the role of AI in supporting farmers, small businesses and service providers. Sessions will address AI safety, governance, ethical use, data protection and India's approach to sovereign AI, including the development of indigenous foundation models for strategic sectors. A key component of the Summit will be the AI Impact Expo, which will showcase practical applications of AI across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, climate action, energy efficiency, and accessibility. These demonstrations are intended to help citizens understand how AI can solve real-world problems and improve service delivery. The Summit will also highlight national skilling initiatives such as "Yuva AI for All", a free and accessible course designed to build basic AI awareness among students and professionals. (ANI)
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