By Ayushi Agarwal

New Delhi [India], February 16 (ANI): New Zealand's Minister for Science and Technology Shane Reti on Monday lauded India's growing leadership in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, saying that hosting the India AI Impact Summit 2026 reflects the country's global importance and influence in shaping the AI agenda.

Speaking with ANI, Reti described it as a privilege to participate in the gathering focused on safe, inclusive and human-centred AI.

'It is a real privilege to be here, and thank you for the invitation to both join you and to be a part of this summit. I think the fact that we are holding the Summit in India is recognition by the whole world of the global importance and impact that India can have. That reflects the importance of AI and the contribution India is making', he said.

Reti noted that from New Zealand's perspective, India is not only a major global player but also a country doing significant policy work in the AI domain.

'From New Zealand's perspective, we see India as a giant, but also the good work being done in policy. We are very keen to collaborate with India in that space, in that domain cause we also recognise the importance of being able to maximise the potential opportunities with AI,' he said.

Highlighting the need for balanced regulation, he emphasised that innovation must be supported by practical safeguards.

'It is going to need some pragmatic guardrails, the ability to have an international common language, pragmatic deliverables, pragmatic rules, ' he added.

The minister further underlined the importance of public trust and social acceptance in advancing AI technologies.

'Both India and New Zealand understand that if we are going to benefit from the promises that are promised with AI, then we need to get a social license. To earn social license from our communities, we need to build trust,' Reti said.

He added that New Zealand looks forward to learning from India and contributing to broader global discussions on responsible AI governance.

'That is where we are going to learn from India and be a part of an international discussion on how to demonstrate to people we serve that they can have trust that we have considered all risks that might come with AI,' he said.

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 convene at the Bharat Mandapam as India hosts the AI Impact Summit 2026.

The summit will be the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South. It will bring together global leaders, policymakers, technology companies, innovators, and experts to showcase and deliberate on the transformative potential of AI across governance, innovation, and sustainable development.

The AI Impact Summit, which kicked off on Monday in New Delhi, will welcome world leaders from across 20 countries, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and others. UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres will also attend the event.

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. (ANI)