‘Immense pride’ and proof of rapid progress: PM Modi opens India AI Impact Summit

Calling it a matter of “immense pride” that global delegates have gathered in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 16 said the India AI Impact Summit reflects the capability of the country’s youth and its “rapid progress” in science and technology.

Technology leaders, policymakers and startup founders from across the world are in the capital for the five-day summit and the accompanying India AI Impact Expo 2026, which the Prime Minister will inaugurate at Bharat Mandapam later today.

In a post on X, Modi said, “It is a matter of immense pride for us that people from all over the world are coming to India,” adding that the gathering shows “the capability of our country’s youth” and is “further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology.”

The Expo, running from February 16 to 20, spans more than 70,000 square metres across 10 arenas and features over 300 exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations organised under the themes People, Planet and Progress. More than 600 startups are participating, several of them showcasing AI systems already deployed at scale.

Thirteen country pavilions — including Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and African nations — are part of the exhibition. Union ministries, state governments, global technology firms and research institutions are also taking part.

More than 500 sessions with over 3,250 speakers and panellists are scheduled, and organisers expect upwards of 250,000 visitors, including international delegates.

A major announcement under the IndiaAI Mission is the unveiling of 12 indigenous foundation AI models developed by Indian startups and research consortia. Trained on extensive domestic datasets and designed to function across 22 official languages, the models are intended to strengthen domestic capability and reduce reliance on foreign systems.

Describing the summit as evidence of India’s growing contribution to “global development”, Modi said the event demonstrates how the country is positioning itself at the centre of the evolving AI ecosystem.

With more than 800 million internet users and a rapidly expanding startup base, the government is seeking to project India as a key player in the global AI market, which it expects to cross 17 billion US dollars by 2027.