'Proof of India's progress': PM Modi on AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi

PM Modi thanked the 1.4 billion people of India, stating that the nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation.

Updated on: Feb 16, 2026, 10:11:33 IST

Edited by Asmita Ravi Shankar

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed world leaders, delegations and industry leaders at the AI Impact Summit 2026, which is being hosted at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam from February 16, Monday, to February 20, Friday. Reflecting on the theme of the summit, "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya", the PM expressed confidence in the event shaping a "progressive" future.

PM Modi said that AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise. (narendramodi.in)

Ahead of the first sessions of the AI Impact Summit, PM Modi took to X and wrote, "Bringing the world together to discuss AI! Starting today, India hosts the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. I warmly welcome world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the world for this Summit. The theme of the Summit is Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya or welfare for all, happiness for all, reflecting our shared commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress." Follow live updates on the AI Impact Summit 2026

The prime minister noted that in today's world, artificial intelligence is transforming several sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture, governance and enterprise.

"The AI Impact Summit will enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, responsible use and more," he wrote.

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PM Modi expressed confidence in the summit's outcome and said that it "will help shape a future that is progressive, innovative and opportunity-driven".

He thanked the 1.4 billion people of India, stating that the nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. "From digital infrastructure to a vibrant StartUp ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility," the PM added.

Earlier, he had also expressed "immense pride" that India is hosting this global AI summit, adding that it also reflects the capability of the nation's youth.

"This occasion is further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology and is making an important contribution to global development," he wrote in a separate post.

AI Impact Summit 2026 and its attendees

Along with the Summit, an India AI Impact Expo is also being organised, featuring pavilions from 13 countries, including Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy, among others, HT reported earlier.

The AI Impact Summit will host a total of 300 pavilions and live demonstrations, structured across three thematic chakras -- people, planet and progress. It is likely to draw a massive footfall.

The event will also feature several world leaders, delegations and key figures from the world of AI. Among the key attendees are French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Other names on the invitees' list include Bhutanese PM Tshering Tobgay, Croatia's PM Andrej Plenković, Finnish PM Petteri Orpo, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Asmita Ravi Shankar
Asmita Ravi Shankar is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. She covers breaking news and focuses on crime, geopolitics, and the domestic political landscape. She has an eye for the intricacies in criminal investigations and a keen interest in how diplomacy and complexities affect politics, within India and globally. She has written extensively about Operation Sindoor, the Iran-US conflict, elections in India, Trump tariffs and diplomacy. Asmita also engages in multimedia storytelling, using interactive elements to enhance readers' news experience and build a high-traffic news ecosystem. With nearly three years of experience in the journalism industry, Asmita has been with HT for a little over a year. She has previously worked with online news teams at Outlook India and Network18, covering a wide range of beats and building her specialisation. In HT, she has been recognised for her comprehensive reportage and her contribution to coverage of the Bihar assembly election results, having single-handedly driven over 2 million users on that day. Asmita earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, the University of Delhi. She went on to earn a postgraduate diploma in integrated journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, sharpening her skills in multimedia storytelling, editing and sourcing to enrich her reportage. Additionally, Asmita holds a degree in Bharatanatyam from the Pracheen Kala Kendra. She is also a teacher of the Indian classical dance form. When not working on news, Asmita can be found dancing, binge-watching true crime docu-series, cooking and exploring various genres of music.Read More

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