Modi to address AI Summit today; Macron, Guterres among speakers
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Thursday. The event, which is expected to host over 500 leaders in artificial intelligence (AI), will also see speeches from French President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. After the opening session at around 9:40am, Modi will visit the AI Impact Expo with other leaders around 11:00am.
Itinerary details
PM to attend leaders' plenary, CEO roundtable
Post his opening session address, PM Modi will attend the Leaders' Plenary from around noon. This session will see heads of state, ministers, and senior representatives from multilateral institutions discuss national and global priorities on AI governance, infrastructure, and international cooperation. Later in the day at around 5:30pm, he will participate in a CEO roundtable with senior executives from global tech firms to discuss investment opportunities and research collaborations in AI systems.
Summit participation
More than 20 heads of state attending AI summit
The AI summit, which PM Modi inaugurated on February 16 in New Delhi, has drawn a global audience. It has brought together over 500 AI leaders, including CEOs and CXOs, nearly 100 founders and chief executives, around 150 academicians and researchers as well as some 400 CTOs, vice presidents and philanthropists. The event also includes over 100 government representatives, including more than 20 heads of state/government along with nearly 60 ministers/vice-ministers from across the globe.
AI prospects
India ready for big leap in AI: PM Modi
In an interview with ANI, PM Modi said India is poised to make major strides in AI. He emphasized that the intersection of technology and governance will revolutionize many aspects of the country. The prime minister also highlighted India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) journey as a key takeaway for the Global South, saying "the convergence of Digital Public Infrastructure and AI is the next frontier of inclusive development."