February 16, 2026 | 9:33 PM (IST)
India AI Impact Summit 2026: Day 1 Highlights
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 began in New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam, marking a significant step in India’s ambition to emerge as a global AI leader.
On Day 1, the Prime Minister visited several stalls, interacting with startups and technology firms. The expo features over 600 startups and 13 country pavilions, reflecting strong international participation. Nations including Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy are showcasing AI collaborations and innovations.
In a post on X, Modi described the expo as “bringing the world together to discuss AI,” welcoming leaders, researchers, marketers, and policymakers.
The broader summit is structured around three thematic chakras. People, Planet, and Progress, and spans 300 pavilions and live demonstrations across 10 arenas covering more than 7,000 square meters. The event is expected to host over 20 Heads of State, 60 ministers, and 500 global AI leaders.
The summit runs until February 20 and has opened to the general public following its inauguration.
Key announcements are anticipated on Day 2, including healthcare-focused AI initiatives such as SAHI (Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India) and BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI), to be launched by Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda.
February 16, 2026 | 6:50 PM (IST)
PM Modi Interacts With Startups, Companies At India AI Impact Expo
Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo on Monday evening and subsequently interacted with companies and startups participating in the event.
The Prime Minister visited multiple stalls at the Expo, which features over 600 high-potential startups and 13 country pavilions, according to PTI.
Modi arrived at Bharat Mandapam to formally open the Expo as part of the broader AI Impact Summit 2026 proceedings.
February 16, 2026 | 5:42 PM (IST)
French President Emmanuel Macron To Arrive In India
Posters and hoardings welcoming Emmanuel Macron have been put up across Mumbai ahead of his visit to India for the AI Impact Summit 2026.
Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron will be in India from February 16 to 19. The French President is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai before traveling to Delhi to attend the summit being held at Bharat Mandapam.
Macron is also expected to meet Narendra Modi on February 17. The visit underscores growing diplomatic and technological collaboration between India and France, particularly in areas of artificial intelligence, innovation and digital governance.
February 16, 2026 | 5:35 PM (IST)
Ottonomy Unveils "Made-In-India" Autonomous Delivery Ecosystem
Ottonomy Inc unveiled its end-to-end ‘Made-in-India’ autonomous delivery ecosystem at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
According to a statement cited by PTI, the ecosystem brings together Ottonomy’s Level-4 autonomous delivery robots, known as Ottobots, integrated with smart storage infrastructure called Arrive Points from Arrive AI and drone logistics capabilities powered by Skyeair Mobility.
The integrated platform aims to create a seamless last-mile and mid-mile logistics network by combining ground robotics, smart storage hubs and aerial delivery systems. By aligning autonomous robots with drone-based transport and intelligent storage nodes, the ecosystem is designed to enhance delivery speed, operational efficiency and scalability across urban and semi-urban environments.
The launch highlights India’s growing push toward indigenous autonomous mobility solutions and smart logistics infrastructure at scale.
Read the full story here!
February 16, 2026 | 4:30 PM (IST)
"AI-generated Misinformation Has Power To Derail Democracies," Warns Jitin Prasada
Union Minister Jitin Prasada cautioned against the misuse of artificial intelligence, warning that AI-generated misinformation has the potential to undermine democratic systems.
Speaking at a session during the AI Impact Summit, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology emphasized that while AI can significantly enhance learning outcomes for students and teachers, it must not become a shortcut that weakens critical thinking or curiosity.
He stressed that AI cannot replace teachers and said its risks in education must be carefully addressed.
“If you don’t get into digital literacy, then you have the vulnerability of falling to cyber threats. Cyber security is such a big issue, and AI deep fakes misinformation. And a country like India, which is truly democratic, and elections are happening all around the year, be it at the central level, state or municipality. But if there’s kind of misinformation using AI, it has the power to derail democracies.” he said.
His remarks add to the growing global conversation around responsible AI deployment, digital literacy and safeguarding democratic institutions in an era of rapidly advancing technology.
February 16, 2026 | 4 PM (IST)
NPCI Launches "UPI One World" Wallet For Foreign Delegates At India AI Impact Summit 2026
The National Payments Corporation of India, NPCI, has launched ‘UPI One World’, a prepaid digital wallet tailored for foreign delegates attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The service enables international visitors to make seamless digital payments at UPI-enabled merchants across India without the need to open an Indian bank account.
Delegates can complete a simplified onboarding process through authorized channels, load funds into the wallet, and use it to pay for retail purchases, hotel stays, transportation, dining, and other services during their visit.
By offering temporary access to India’s Unified Payments Interface infrastructure, NPCI is extending the convenience of real-time digital payments to global participants at the summit. UPI is widely accepted across businesses of all sizes in India, and the ‘UPI One World’ wallet allows foreign delegates to transact using the same QR code-based ecosystem used by domestic users.
Read the full story here!
February 16, 2026 | 3:30 PM (IST)
World's Largest AI Summit Opens To Packed Halls
The world’s largest artificial intelligence summit opened to packed halls and long queues, as tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, founders, and technologists thronged the venue for the conference, where India is set to push for widening access to AI and seek international agreement on global AI commons.
With huge billboards around the city welcoming delegates, speakers and guests at the AI Impact Summit, Bharat Mandapam saw long queues much before the conference opened at 09.30 hours, signalling the interest in the subject and the conference.
The enthusiasm was high despite the fact that the high profile speakers - from Sundar Pichai of Alphabet to Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic - haven’t even arrived in the country. Their sessions start not before Wednesday (February 18, 2026).
Final two days of the Summit - February 19 and 20 - will see more than 20 heads of state and government, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talking about the future of AI alongside business leaders and investors.
February 16, 2026 | 3 PM (IST)
Microsoft India President, Puneet Chandok, On India’s AI Future And Workforce Skills
At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Microsoft India President Puneet Chandok said AI will reshape jobs rather than replace them, highlighting the importance of continuous learning as India moves toward an AI-driven future.
"AI will not kill jobs. AI will unbundle jobs... Your job is a bundle of tasks. What AI will do is it will unbundle it," Chandok mentioned.
"If you're not learning AI today, if you're not learning every day, you'll be redundant. When a billion people in India rise with AI, that's when this nation will transform," he added.
With 92% of Indian knowledge workers using AI daily and Microsoft planning a $17.5B investment in data centers, the country stands at a pivotal turning point.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is also promoting AI adoption, innovation, and regulation, with nearly 700 summit events scheduled this week.
Read the full story here!
February 16, 2026 | 12 PM (IST)
Reliance Jio’s Chief AI Scientist Invites Engineers To Apply At AI Impact Summit
In a post shared this morning, the Chief AI Scientist at Reliance Jio directly called on engineers attending the summit to explore career opportunities.
“To the cracked engineers at the summit: if you’re building at the frontier of AI models, optimization, or platforms, we need you. Reach out and I’ll fast-track an intro to our recruitment team. Let’s build for Bharath, at a scale only we know!” he wrote.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being held at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20, bringing together AI founders, researchers, policymakers and developers from across the country.
The open invitation underscores how aggressively companies are competing for advanced AI talent. By offering to fast-track applications, Reliance Jio is signaling its intent to scale large AI systems rapidly. As the AI race intensifies, major technology events are increasingly doubling up as real-time recruitment platforms for top engineering talent.
Read the full story here!
February 16, 2026 | 11 AM (IST)
U.K. To Spotlight Growth, Jobs And Public Service Innovation At AI Impact Summit 2026
The United Kingdom will focus on demonstrating how artificial intelligence can accelerate economic growth, create new jobs, enhance public services and deliver tangible global benefits at the AI Impact Summit beginning Monday (February 16, 2026) in New Delhi.
The U.K. delegation will be led by David Lammy along with AI Minister Kanishka Narayan. The British government said it intends to showcase how AI-driven innovation can improve everyday life across communities worldwide.
In a pre-summit statement, Lammy emphasized the importance of international cooperation. “This summit is an important moment in determining how we can work together with our international partners to unlock the full benefits and potential of AI, while baking in robust and fair safety standards that protect us all,” he said.
February 16, 2026 | 11 AM (IST)
Over 2.5 Lakh Visitors Expected As Summit Scales Up Participation
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the event will bring together more than 3,000 speakers across 500 sessions, making it one of the largest AI-focused gatherings hosted in the country.
The government hopes to attract more than 2.5 lakh visitors to the event, the statement said.
The summit will also feature over 300 exhibitions and live demonstrations, showcasing advancements from AI startups, enterprises and research institutions. These exhibits are structured around three central thematic pillars. People, Planet, and Progress.
February 16, 2026 | 10 AM (IST)
PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates AI Expo 2026 At Bharat Mandapam, Signals India’s Strategic AI Push
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated AI Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, reinforcing India’s ambition to emerge as a global artificial intelligence leader. The summit places focus on infrastructure scale-up, ecosystem growth, and policy direction under the government’s IndiaAI Mission.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally opened the summit, addressing policymakers, global technology leaders, researchers, and startup founders. In his remarks, he positioned artificial intelligence as central to India’s next wave of digital and economic transformation.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to the IndiaAI Mission, which carries an approved outlay exceeding ₹10,300 crore. The mission is designed to strengthen AI research, enable datasets, support startups, and expand access to compute infrastructure across academia and industry.
The Prime Minister emphasized that India’s AI journey must remain inclusive, multilingual, and responsible. He noted that AI solutions tailored for Indian languages and local contexts would play a critical role in expanding access across rural and underserved communities.
A key strategic theme highlighted during discussions was strengthening domestic compute capabilities. While no new infrastructure launch was formally announced at the inauguration, officials indicated that expanding access to high-performance computing resources remains a priority under the IndiaAI framework. The broader goal is to reduce structural bottlenecks faced by startups and researchers requiring advanced GPU capacity.
Modi also underscored the importance of ethical AI governance. As global debates continue around regulation, safety, and data usage, India aims to pursue innovation alongside accountability.
Following the inauguration, AI Expo 2026 transitions into a full-day agenda of policy sessions, sectoral panels, and technology showcases.
Government representatives are expected to provide updates on implementation milestones under the IndiaAI Mission, including research partnerships and ecosystem enablement measures. Discussions around semiconductor ecosystem growth and public-private collaboration are part of the scheduled sessions.
Industry panels will explore AI deployment across healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, fintech, and public administration. Demonstrations include AI-enabled diagnostics platforms, agricultural monitoring tools, generative AI applications, and enterprise automation systems developed by Indian startups.
India’s AI ecosystem has expanded significantly in recent years, with more than 1,000 AI-focused startups operating across generative AI, SaaS automation, machine learning platforms, and computer vision applications. Investor participation at the summit reflects continued interest in India’s deep tech growth story.
While workforce development is widely viewed as essential to AI scale-up, no specific new skilling program was formally announced during the opening session. However, industry and policy discussions are expected to address talent pipeline challenges and collaboration between academia and private enterprises.
International participation further underscores the summit’s strategic positioning. Technology firms and research institutions from multiple regions are engaging in dialogue around cross-border innovation, standards alignment, and shared infrastructure models.
AI Expo 2026 signals that India’s AI ambitions extend beyond experimentation toward long-term ecosystem building. By inaugurating the event at Bharat Mandapam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reinforced artificial intelligence as a national strategic priority.
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