AI Impact Summit 2026: National Capital Takes Global Stage As World Leaders, Tech Titans Assemble For Landmark Event

New Delhi: The national capital is hosting the landmark AI Impact Summit 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday from February 16 to 20, positioning itself as the global hub for critical dialogue on artificial intelligence.

This landmark event, the first major international AI summit held in the Global South, will bring together a prestigious group of world leaders, policymakers, tech visionaries and several others from around the globe.

World leaders to assemble

The upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi has drawn an extraordinary assembly of world leaders, signaling a major shift in the global technology landscape. 

20 leaders from around the globe will participate in the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, according to the official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs. 

The press release also stated that Ministerial delegations from over 45 countries will participate in the Summit, with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and Senior Officials from several international organisations joining the deliberations. 

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Heads of State and Government are scheduled to attend the Summit. 

Who will be attending?

The leaders include 

• Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay
• Vice President of Bolivia, Edmand Lara Montano
• President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
• Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenkovic
• President of Estonia, Alar Karis
• Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo
• President of France, Emmanuel Macron
• Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis
• Vice President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo
• Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov.

The other 10 leaders to participate are Hereditary Prince of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Prince Alois; Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navin Ramgoolam; President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic; President of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini; President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez; President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Disanayaka; Vice President of Seychelles, Sebastien Pillay; President of Switzerland, Guy Parmelin; Prime Minister of Netherlands, Dick Schoof and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi from UAE, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Tech industry heavyweights

Beyond the world leaders, the summit's real energy is expected to come from the tech industry's heavyweights, who see India not just as a participant but as a pivotal player in AI's next chapter.

Leading the charge from the United States is a powerhouse delegation organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and the US-India Business Council (USIBC)--the largest American industry presence at such an event to date. 

The delegation from the USISPF will be co-led by Adobe Chairman and CEO Shantanu Narayen and FedEx President and CEO Raj Subramaniam, and will include more than 120 senior executives from more than 100 companies, including luminaries such as Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith.

White House adviser Michael Kratsios, Assistant to US President Donald Trump and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, will lead the official US government delegation, joined by senior officials from the US Department of State, Commerce, and other agencies.

Even former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will lend his voice, addressing a curtain-raiser event organised by Carnegie India titled "AI for All: Reimagining Global Cooperation".

IndiaAI Mission

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.

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.

India AI Impact Summit 2026: Anchored in 3 Sutras

The Summit is anchored in three Sutras -People, Planet, and Progress -which define India’s approach to global AI cooperation.

PM Modi to inaugurate India AI Impact Expo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo 2026 on February 16, at 5 PM at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

According to the official advisory, The India AI Impact Expo 2026 will be held from February 16 to 20 alongside the India AI Impact Summit and is envisioned as a national showcase of artificial intelligence in action, bringing together policy, innovation, and large-scale implementation under one platform. 

"Bharat Mandapam Expo Arena: Closed on 16 February (Inauguration by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India at 5 PM). Open to all from 17 February onwards," the advisory said.

I&B Ministry issues traffic advisory

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sunday issued a traffic advisory ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to begin in the national capital on February 16. 

In an advisory posted on X, the Ministry urged delegates attending the summit at Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan to use public transport due to limited parking availability and revised gate access arrangements.

"Delegates attending #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 at Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan are advised to use public transport due to limited parking and revised gate access. Please plan your arrival as per the updated entry protocols and cooperate with security personnel for smooth conduct of the event," the advisory stated.

 The Ministry also requested that attendees adhere to the updated entry protocols and entry timings communicated for both venues to ensure smooth movement and security coordination during the high-profile international event.

Also Read: AI Summit 2026: Delhi Police Issue Traffic Advisory, Suggest Alternate Routes