India AI Impact Summit begins today: How to watch online
What's the story
India is gearing up to host the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The five-day event will start today and end on February 20. It will be attended by heads of state, senior ministers, global tech CEOs, researchers, and start-up founders. The summit will be streamed live on the official IndiaAI YouTube channel for those who want to catch every moment of this historic gathering.
Key highlights
PM Modi to address summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the summit and explore the AI Expo. His speech is likely to highlight India's vision for responsible and inclusive AI development. He is expected to present a roadmap for creating AI systems that drive economic growth while safeguarding citizens' interests. The event will also see participation from French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Lula da Silva, among others.
Industry leaders
Tech leaders to participate in summit
The summit will also see participation from some of the biggest names in tech and AI. This includes Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Demis Hassabis of DeepMind Technologies; Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic; and Brad Smith from Microsoft. Their presence is expected to make this event a major platform for global AI policy discussions and corporate announcements.
Summit agenda
Summit to have over 700 sessions
The summit will feature over 700 sessions, covering topics like AI safety, governance, ethics, data protection, and the future of work. Seven thematic working groups will present deliverables such as proposals for AI Commons and trusted AI tools. A major focus will be on real-world applications of AI that drive economic growth while ensuring sustainability and social inclusion.
Strategic approach
India's approach to AI development
India is pushing an innovation-first and development-oriented AI model, unlike the regulation-heavy framework of the European Union or the market-driven approach of the United States. The country is investing in compute infrastructure, high-quality datasets, skilling initiatives, and support for indigenous foundation models through its IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.