New Delhi is set to host one of the most significant global technology gatherings as the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 takes place from February 16 to 20. The five-day event will mark the first global Artificial Intelligence summit hosted in the Global South, positioning India at the centre of worldwide AI governance discussions.
The summit underscores India’s growing role in shaping a responsible, inclusive and people-centric AI future.
Global Leaders Confirmed for the Summit
World leaders from 20 countries are scheduled to attend the summit. Among the prominent attendees are:
●Emmanuel Macron, President of France
●Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil
●Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain
●Guy Parmelin, President of Switzerland
●Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of the Netherlands
●Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
●Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of Mauritius
●Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka
●Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan
Leaders from Bolivia, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Serbia and Slovakia are also expected to participate.
Additionally, ministerial delegations from over 45 countries will attend, alongside the United Nations Secretary-General and senior officials from multiple international organisations.
What the Summit Will Focus On
The India-AI Impact Summit will host more than 700 sessions covering:
●AI safety and governance
●Ethical deployment of AI systems
●Data protection frameworks
●Sovereign AI strategies
●Shared compute infrastructure
●AI Commons and global cooperation models
Representatives from both the Global North and Global South will present proposals and practical deliverables aimed at building trusted AI ecosystems.
India’s Vision: Inclusive and Sovereign AI
A key highlight of the summit will be India’s national skilling initiative, Yuva AI for All, a free programme designed to build foundational AI awareness among students and professionals.
The summit aims to:
●Strengthen global AI collaboration
●Promote shared standards
●Enhance trust in AI technologies
●Position India as a reliable AI innovation partner
With world leaders and global institutions converging in New Delhi, the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 is expected to shape the next chapter of international AI governance.
