ndia’s AI Impact Summit 2026 Live: New Delhi takes the global spotlight on February 19 as the India AI Impact Summit 2026 moves into the high-voltage phase with the formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam.
What to expect on Feb 19 (Thursday – Main Summit Day 1):
The day is set to kick off with a high-profile inaugural ceremony and Leaders’ Plenary addressed by PM Modi, followed by a closed-door CEO Roundtable on investments and responsible AI priorities.
From ~11:00 AM onwards, Plenary Hall A will host a blockbuster lineup of keynotes and fireside chats featuring:
- Mukesh Ambani
- Sunil Bharti Mittal in conversation with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen
- Bill Gates
- Nandan Nilekani with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei
- Sam Altman (OpenAI)
- Rishad Premji (Wipro)
- Yann LeCun (Meta)
- Brad Smith (Microsoft)
- Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind)
- …and several more, including Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch, Schneider Electric, and Adani Digital Labs in the afternoon.
Tech and business enthusiasts can expect sharp focus on enterprise AI adoption, sovereign AI infrastructure, frugal/small AI models for India-scale deployment, skilling & job creation, and big-ticket India-global tech collaborations.
The India AI Impact Expo (300+ exhibitors, 30+ countries) remains open all day for networking and live demos.
Main plenaries may have restricted physical access due to VIP presence, but full livestreams will be available on the official IndiaAI YouTube channel.
Follow our coverage for minute-by-minute updates, key quotes, deal buzz, and instant analysis as the biggest names in global tech take the stage
- February 19, 2026 10:44
EY India launches AI-enabled enterprise tax solutions
EY India launches AI-enabled enterprise tax solutions
EY India launches AI-driven tax solutions for seamless compliance, enhancing transparency and efficiency for businesses under its India Tax Platform.
- February 19, 2026 10:44
Meity issues advisory for India AI Impact Summit 2026
Meity issues advisory for India AI Impact Summit 2026
According to the advisory, the Bharat Mandapam Expo Arena will remain closed for registered delegates and expo participants, while the Convention Centre will be accessible strictly by invitation only
- February 19, 2026 10:44
Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub, part of our 15 billion USD investment in India: Sundar Pichai
“Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub, part of our 15 billion USD investment in India”: Sundar Pichai
Google announces a $15 billion investment to establish a full-stack AI hub in India, enhancing the country’s digital landscape.
- February 19, 2026 10:42
‘Dream big but also responsibly in AI’
Speed and scale are unimaginable in AI. We have to dream big but also responsibly in AI. We need to keep in mind what AI we leave for our future. In present what we do through AI. We have seen nuclear destruction and also solutions: PM Modi
- February 19, 2026 10:39
‘Whosoever are showcasing solutions here shows the spirit of Make in India’: PM Modi
All the attendees of this Summit are taking AI to new heights. Some people have doubts in such technology initially, but the way youth are accepting it and owning it, is a big step. Whosoever are showcasing solutions here whether in agriculture, education, healthcare shows the spirit of Make in India.
- February 19, 2026 10:38
‘India being part of this Summit, the whole Global South should be proud of it’
India has the biggest population of youth… India makes latest technologies and also utilises them… I welcome all the global Heads and Innovators to this Summit. India being part of this Summit, the whole Global South should be proud of it: PM Modi
- February 19, 2026 10:35
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi: This Summit, which is happening in India, represents one-sixth of the world’s population
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- February 19, 2026 10:33
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to announce outcomes of AI Impact summit: Leading frontier AI companies have come together to make voluntary commitments
‘They are advancing understanding of real-world AI usage through anonymised and aggregated insights to support evidence-based policy making on jobs, skills and economic transformation… Strengthening multilingual and contextual evaluations of AI systems to ensure that AI works effectively across languages to ensure AI works across cultures’
- February 19, 2026 10:32
‘The old world said you compete or you lose. the new world says you connect or you fall behind’
We are determined to continue to shape the rules of the game. France and India believe in core shared values of science, rules of law, global balance, efficient multilateralism, innovation for the benefit of all. The old world said you compete or you lose. the new world says you connect or you fall behind… The money race is important, but we cannot discount the outcome it creates and the real value creation for our population: Macron
- February 19, 2026 10:27
‘No country is bound to serve only as a market’
AI and digitalisation will be a key theme for months and years to come… At a time when tensions are rising, it’s urgent to direct our digital tools towards inclusive approach… France intends to use its G7 presidency to foster a vision that focused everyone to work together, bridge divide, sharing… No country is bound to serve only as a market where foreign companies sell their models and download the citizens data: Macron
- February 19, 2026 10:24
‘France and India share a common vision for sovereign AI’
AI may be a powerful accelerator of productivity and a major shift for labour market… That is why access to AI is critical. France and India share a common vision for sovereign AI used to protect the planet, foster prosperity. Our coalition for sustainable AI now has more than 200 supporters: Macron
- February 19, 2026 10:22
‘The point of this summit is not to say Let’s do more its… Let’s do better together’
India has the second largest developer community in the world… In France, we are doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers… The smartest AI is not the most expensive. It is the one build by the best people for the right purposes int terms of models, intelligence labs. That is why the Indian Model is revolutionary ..in terms of it use for farmers, rural clinics and digital public infra… The point of this summit is not to say Let’s do more its… Let’s do better together: Macron
- February 19, 2026 10:20
‘Europe commits €200 bn to bolstering AI infra’
AI, GPU are now directly translating in geopolitical and macroeconomic terms, sometimes for the best, sometimes for the worst… We took a complementary path. We invested in European large lanugage models founded in Paris about two years ago now valued at 12 billion Euros… We are delivering the planned $109 billion in AI investments, announced last year… At European levels, 200 billion euros have been committed to bolster AI infra: Macron
- February 19, 2026 10:18
‘Landscape has shifted since the past year’
We are clearly at the beginning of a huge acceleration. Last year when India and France co-hosted an AI summit, we set a global guiding principal for technologies to transfer societies. Since the past year, the landscape shifted the US announced Stargate, China announced DeepSeek. AI has become a major field of strategic competition now: Emmanuel Macron, France President
- February 19, 2026 10:15
I want to start with a story, says Emmanuel Macron
10 years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account due to lack of papers. Now the same vendor accepts payments on the phone. This is not a tech story, its civilisation story. India built something that no other country in the world has built, a digital identity for 1.4 billion people: France President Emmanuel Macron
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- February 19, 2026 10:12
‘Real impact means tech that improves lives and protects the planet’
To build skills, data, affordable computing power and inclusive ecosystems… AI Must benefit everyone and advance sustainable development goals…. It must bolster climate action, disaster preparedness and improve access to vital public services… We must invest in workers so AI augment human potential and not replace it… The message of this summit is simple —real impact means technology that improves lives and protects the planet: António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
- February 19, 2026 10:06
Future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries, says UN Secy General António Guterres
A panel has been set up with 40 leading experts from across regions with a clear message that AI must belong to everyone… We must replace hype and fear with shared evidence and close knowledge gaps… We are launching a global dialogue on AI governance within the UN. We need guardrails that preserve human agency, human oversight and human accountability. I am calling for a global fund for AI to build basic capacity in developing countries
- February 19, 2026 10:04
Trust is the bedrock of AI adoption, says Sundar Pichai
No matter how bold or how responsible we won’t realise full potential of AI unless we work together… Government has a vital role that includes regulators setting important rules addressing key risks… Tech companies must step up building products that boost knowledge, creativity and productivity… We also need companies of all sizes to harness AI to innovate and transform their businesses and sectors and to skill up and empower workers
- February 19, 2026 10:03
‘Digital divide should not become an AI divide’
Language inclusion is another exciting ambition… We need this bold thinking in more places including health, economic opportunity and technology but we must everyone has access to them… We cannot allow digital divide to become an AI divide… AI will undeniably reshape the workforce, automatising some roles, evolving others and creating entirely new careers: Sundar Pichai
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- February 19, 2026 10:02
Sundar Pichai: Google is establishing a full stack AI hub as part of $15 illion infra investment in India
This hub will house gigawatt scale compute and a new international subsea cable gateway… To build AI which useful everyone, we must pursue it boldly as it can improve billions of lives and solve some of the hardest problems… We must be equally bold in tackling problems in regions that have lacked access to technology
- February 19, 2026 09:54
2.5 years of staggering advances and commercial applications: Dario Amodei, CEO, Anthropic
Dario Amodei: The advances in 2.5 years of technology has been staggering along with the commercial applications of AI… AI has been on an exponential growth for the last 10 years and we are now well on an advanced curve and there are only a small number of AI models surpassing the cognitive capabilities of most humans… These kinds of capabilities bring a wide range of opportunities and challenges… AI has the ability to radically reduce poverty and improve human health including the Global South
- February 19, 2026 09:49
‘Next-gen data centre’
The TATA group is establishing India’s first large scale optimised data centre, purpose built for the next generation. We are happy to announce that we have partnered with OpenAI… We will combine the world class AI rack architecture with Tata’s strength in infrastructure… We are building an AI data insights platform… This is the age of abundant intelligence, where the scare resources are stewardship and human capability. So lets us set a simple standard: TATA Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran
- February 19, 2026 09:46
‘AI is a foundational technology that cuts across industries’
It can scale up quite rapidly. In my mind, AI is the next big infrastructure of intelligence which will have a profound impact… We need to put AI tools in the hands of every citizen. AI will have huge impact on our public services delivery… It is in my opinion, the biggest opportunity for the tech sector and the IT sector: Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran
- February 19, 2026 09:44
Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran: India has treated AI as a strategic national capability
- February 19, 2026 09:43
Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran : India is a nation of AI optimists. India has witnessed hugely ambitious digital infra programs and what they can achieve.
- February 19, 2026 09:43
India’s AI Impact Summit 2026 Live: India a leader in AI adoption, focus on human safety key to mitigating risks: Vaishnaw
AI Index places India among the leading countries in AI adoption and AI talent. We must find collective solutions for mitigating the risks by placing human safety and dignity at the heart of AI : Vaishnaw
- February 19, 2026 09:42
Our PM has reformed nuclear energy recently which will deliver clean energy. We have robust economy which has been rebuilt over the last decade : Vaishnaw
- February 19, 2026 09:40
A very big policy shift has been made towards getting world’s data to India…to reside in India and processed here and to deliver high value services to the entire world : Vaishnaw
- February 19, 2026 09:39
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.
- February 19, 2026 09:39
Our bouquet of soveriegn models are focused on multi-modal and multi-linguistic capabilities: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
- February 19, 2026 09:26
Sergio Gor, US Ambassador to India shares a picture with Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai from the India AI Impact Summit
- February 19, 2026 09:23
AI is booming in India”: Netherlands PM Dick Schoof hails AI Impact Summit
Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof hailed the AI Impact Summit 2026, noting an artificial intelligence boom in India.
During his visit to India, Dick Schoof attended the AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, where he participated in a discussion on international cooperation to responsibly accelerate AI development.
- February 19, 2026 08:56
IndiaAI Expo extended till Saturday, but will be closed to public on Thursday
The Government has decided to extend the timeline of the Expo being held at the AI Impact Summit by one day till Saturday.
An official statement said that the Exhibition will remain open to the public on Saturday, 21st February in a bid to provide a comfortable experience for the public.
The statement also said in order to avoid inconvenience to the public in view of access restricted events on 19th February, the Expo will remain closed to the public on Thursday. The timings for the Expo are already extended up to 8 PM.
Meanwhile, the Expo will remain open to public on 20th and 21st February.
- February 19, 2026 08:48
2026 India AI Impact Summit
The India AI Impact Summit is being held between February 16-20 at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The 2026 India AI Impact Summit, is structured around seven core pillars — and it aims to achieve consensus from all participating global delegations on these. These seven areas are Human Capital, Inclusion for Social Empowerment, Safe and Trusted AI, Resilience, Innovation and Efficiency, Science, Democratising AI Resources, and AI for Economic Growth and Social Good.
- February 19, 2026 08:40
Read businessline’s complete coverage of India AI Impact Summit 2026 here
India AI Impact Summit 2026: Complete coverage
Explore comprehensive coverage of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, focusing on key themes and global consensus.
- February 19, 2026 08:40
AI will transform India’s IT sector to $400 billion by 2030: Modi
With the AI-India Impact Summit underway in the capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not replacing India’s IT sector but transforming it, potentially enabling the industry to reach $400 billion by 2030. The summit marks the first global convening of this scale on AI hosted in the Global South.
- February 19, 2026 08:28
India’s sovereign push gathers pace as local firms roll out AI models
India’s push for sovereign AI took concrete shape on Tuesday as BharatGen, Gnani.ai and Sarvam unveiled new models spanning language, voice and real-world interfaces, signalling a shift from being a user of global artificial intelligence tools to building domestic AI infrastructure aimed at government services, healthcare, education and agriculture at population scale.
India’s sovereign push gathers pace as local firms roll out AI models
India’s AI Summit showcases BharatGen, Gnani.ai, and Sarvam’s innovative models, advancing the country’s sovereign AI ambitions across multiple sectors.
- February 19, 2026 08:02
Qualcomm showcases humanoid robotics at AI Impact Summit
Qualcomm on Tuesday showcased its robotics technologies, including humanoid systems, at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. Qualcomm’s Marketing Lead for Robots and Automotive, Shrestha Jain said the company’s Robotics System is designed to accelerate the deployment of physical AI across a wide range of environments, from household robots to industrial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and full-size humanoids.
Qualcomm showcases humanoid robotics at AI Impact Summit
Qualcomm unveils advanced humanoid robotics at the AI Impact Summit, aiming to enhance physical AI deployment across various environments.
- February 19, 2026 07:48
India gets first private-sector helicopter final assembly line
India gets first private-sector helicopter final assembly line
India inaugurates its first private helicopter assembly line, enhancing local manufacturing for civil and military Airbus H125 choppers.
- February 19, 2026 07:45
Ambani, Adani scout engineers turning AI Summit into jobs fair
India’s two largest conglomerates are using the ongoing India AI summit as a recruiting ground to scout and handpick young engineers, as the race to build AI tools and applications has intensified in the country with global players ramping up investments.
Executives from Reliance Industries Ltd. and the Adani Group are hunting for talent as applicants line up with their resumes and GitHub profiles to show off their projects.
It is a great place to find talent, said Priyanshi Bavishi, a marketing executive at AdaniConnex Pvt. Ltd. “Industry is still niche, so the qualified people have great prospects.”
The week-long summit has some of the most influential leaders from the tech world, like Alphabet Inc’s Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman from OpenAI Inc. delivering lectures. French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver the keynote. – Bloomberg
- February 19, 2026 07:35
Encourage children to be creators, not just consumers of AI: Official
India’s AI framework and guardrails should ensure that Indian children are not just users of AI but also creators of it, said Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, at the AI Impact Summit on Monday.
Speaking as part of the panel on AI and Children: Turning Principles into Practice for Safe, Inclusive, and Empowering AI, Sood noted that it was the policymakers’ responsibility to ensure that children are protected from AI while benefitting from it.
- February 19, 2026 07:34
Over $200 billion AI investment expected in 2 years: Vaishnaw
India is expecting more than $200 billion in investments over the next two years, Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday at the India AI Impact Summit, highlighting strong global interest in the country’s AI and deep tech ecosystem.
“There are two types of interest. The first type is investment. There is an expectation of more than 200 billion dollars in investment over the next two years. The second type is deep tech funding by VC. And the third type is India’s innovativeness and India’s digital public infrastructure,” Vaishnaw told ANI on the sidelines of the Summit at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital.
Elaborating on the role of technology frameworks in driving adoption, he added, “Because of the digital public infrastructure, there is a very good technology framework under the leadership of the Prime Minister. Because of this framework, the diffusion of AI in India can be accelerated. This is what everyone believes.” – ANI
- February 19, 2026 07:30
AI has the potential to wipe out Indian IT services and BPO sector by 2030: Vinod Khosla
AI has the potential to wipe out Indian IT services and BPO sector by 2030: Vinod Khosla
Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla warns that AI could eliminate India’s IT and BPO sectors by 2030, urging adaptation.
- February 19, 2026 07:10
AI will not kill jobs but will unbundle them; Next 3 years to see 1000x growth: Microsoft India’s Puneet Chandok
AI will not kill jobs but will unbundle them; Next 3 years to see 1000x growth: Microsoft India’s Puneet Chandok
Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, on Monday said Artificial Intelligence models are improving at an unprecedented pace and predicted exponential growth in the sector over the next three years.
- February 19, 2026 07:06
Galgotias asked to leave AI Summit after showing Chinese robot as its own
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.
- February 19, 2026 06:56
Army had used AI tool to anticipate Chinese aggression in Arunachal: Lt Gen Rana
Army had used AI tool to anticipate Chinese aggression in Arunachal: Lt Gen Rana
India’s Army leverages AI to counter Chinese aggression and enhance national security, showcasing innovative technologies at the AI Summit.
Published on February 19, 2026
