Global technology leaders and artificial intelligence innovators have arrived in New Delhi to participate in the AI India Impact Summit and the accompanying AI India Expo 2026, one of the country’s largest international gatherings focused on AI innovation, policy, and deployment. The mega expo will be inaugurated later today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam, marking a major milestone in India’s push to become a global AI hub.
Welcoming international delegates through a social media message, the Prime Minister described the summit as a matter of national pride and highlighted India’s fast-growing role in global technology and innovation. He credited the country’s youth and startup ecosystem for accelerating advances in science and digital transformation, saying the event reflects India’s expanding contribution to global development through technology.
The AI India Expo 2026 will run from February 16 to 20 and is designed as a large-scale public and industry showcase of artificial intelligence applications across sectors. Spread over 70,000 square metres and organised into 10 thematic arenas, the expo will bring together global technology companies, emerging startups, academic institutions, research organisations, Union ministries, state governments, and international partners on a single collaborative platform.
Thirteen country pavilions — including Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia and Tajikistan, along with multiple African partners — will highlight cross-border AI partnerships, research, and commercial solutions. Organisers say the summit aims to strengthen international cooperation and promote responsible AI development.
More than 300 curated exhibition zones and live demonstrations have been structured around three central themes — People, Planet, and Progress — focusing on human-centric AI, sustainability-driven innovation, and economic growth through advanced technologies. Over 600 high-potential startups are participating, many of which are already deploying AI solutions at population scale in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, governance, language technology, and climate response.
The event is expected to attract over 2.5 lakh visitors and feature more than 500 knowledge sessions with around 3,250 speakers and panellists from across the global AI ecosystem. Policymakers, founders, engineers, investors, and researchers will take part in discussions on AI governance, ethics, infrastructure, and real-world deployment.
The summit also highlights the goals of the IndiaAI Mission, under which India plans to develop indigenous AI capabilities. A key highlight will be the unveiling of 12 homegrown foundation AI models trained on datasets covering all 22 official Indian languages, aimed at enabling inclusive and locally relevant AI systems.
