New Delhi [India], February 16 (ANI): As New Delhi transforms itself into the epicentre of the world's most consequential conversation on artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Global AI Impact Expo.

Ahead of the Summit, he welcomed the delegates coming to India and highlighted the country's progress in the field of science and tech--making an indelible contribution to global development.

He said on X, 'It is a matter of immense pride for us that people from all over the world are coming to India for the India AI Impact Summit. This also shows the capability of our country's youth. This occasion is further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology and is making an important contribution to global development.'

PM Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in the national capital.

An unprecedented roster of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Crown Princes, and the brightest minds from Silicon Valley and beyond will converse at the Bharat Mandapam as India is set to host the AI Impact Summit 2026 next week.

From February 16 to 20, the Impact Summit, the first international AI summit hosted in the Global South, showcases New Delhi's ambition: to shape an AI future that is inclusive, responsible, and impactful.

At the core is India's audacious vision for sovereign AI.

Under the IndiaAI Mission, the country is unveiling 12 indigenous foundation models developed by homegrown startups and consortia, trained on vast Indian datasets and tailored to the nation's 22 official languages.

From Sarvam AI's multilingual reasoning engines to BharatGen's sector-specific tools from IIT Bombay, Gnani AI's voice-first breakthroughs, and Fractal Analytics' pioneering reasoning models--these innovations promise to democratise AI for everything from agriculture to healthcare and governance.

The summit will showcase them alongside the AI Impact Expo, a sprawling 70,000-square-metre showcase of real-world applications, from precision farming to accessible education.

The agenda is structured around three guiding 'sutras'--People, Planet, and Progress--with seven thematic 'chakras' delving into skilling, sustainable AI, trusted governance, and economic empowerment.

Seven working groups, co-chaired by voices from the Global North and South, will deliver actionable proposals: shared compute resources, AI commons for the public good, and compendia of use cases that could transform lives in the developing world.

For India, a nation projected to see its AI market surge past USD 17 billion by 2027, this summit is more than a diplomatic triumph--it's a declaration of intent.

With 800 million internet users, a booming startup scene, and world-class digital public infrastructure, India is positioning itself as the bridge between innovation and impact.

As PM Modi himself has said, 'We are at the dawn of the AI age that will shape the course of humanity. Some people worry about machines becoming superior in intelligence to humans. But no one holds the key to our collective future and shared destiny other than us humans.'

As the world's eyes turn to New Delhi, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 isn't just about technology--it's about rewriting the rules of the AI era.

In a world racing toward intelligent machines, India is ensuring that the future remains equitable, ethical, and human. (ANI)