New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, framing artificial intelligence as a defining shift in human civilisation and calling for its responsible, inclusive, and human-centric deployment.
Addressing leaders, innovators, and delegates from more than 100 countries, the Prime Minister described the gathering as the “world’s largest and historic AI Impact Summit,” highlighting India’s demographic strength, deep tech talent pool, and rapid technology adoption. He welcomed global participants on behalf of 140 crore Indians and said hosting the summit was a matter of pride not only for India but also for the Global South.
Modi underlined the visible role of young people at the summit and exhibition, noting their confidence and swift acceptance of AI. He pointed to solutions showcased in agriculture, security, accessibility for divyangjan, and multilingual services as examples of India’s innovation capacity and the growing strength of “Made in India” AI.
Calling AI a transformation comparable to historic technological turning points, Modi said, “Artificial Intelligence represents a transformation of the same magnitude as historic turning points in human civilization.” He emphasised that while AI is making machines intelligent, its deeper impact lies in multiplying human capability at “unprecedented speed and scale.” The Prime Minister cautioned that the central question is not what AI can do in the future, but what humanity chooses to do with it now, according to an official release.
Stressing direction and responsibility, he remarked that AI, like nuclear power, can be disruptive if misused but transformative if guided correctly. The summit’s core purpose, he said, is to deliberate on making AI human-centric and ensuring it remains sensitive and accountable.
Referring to the summit’s theme, ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya’ (Welfare for all, Happiness for all), Modi said this philosophy serves as India’s benchmark. “We must democratise AI; it must become a tool for inclusion and empowerment, particularly for the Global South,” he asserted, adding that humans must not become “mere data points or raw material for AI.”
The Prime Minister outlined India’s M.A.N.A.V. vision for AI, presenting it as a framework for ethical and trusted AI ecosystems. He explained that M.A.N.A.V. stands for “Moral and Ethical Systems,” “Accountable Governance,” “National Sovereignty,” “Accessible and Inclusive,” and “Valid and Legitimate.” This approach, he said, will be a crucial link for humanity’s welfare in an AI-driven century.
On the future of employment, Modi said AI’s impact would mirror earlier digital revolutions whose job outcomes were initially unpredictable. “We are entering an era where humans and intelligent systems co-create, co-work and co-evolve,” he said. AI, he added, will make work “smarter, more efficient and more impactful,” while creating higher-value and creative roles. He called for skilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning to become a mass movement.
Highlighting transparency as a safeguard, Modi advocated open collaboration. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” he said, urging shared development and open code so that “millions of young minds” can help make AI safer and better. He called for a “collective resolve of AI for Global Common Good.”
The Prime Minister also flagged urgent risks from deepfakes and fabricated content, urging global standards for watermarking and authenticity labelling of digital material. Trust, he said, must be built into AI systems from the outset. He further stressed the need for child-safe AI environments guided by family-centric principles.
Expressing optimism, Modi said India sees “opportunity and the blueprint of tomorrow” in AI. He welcomed the launch of new AI models and apps by three Indian companies during the summit and highlighted India’s expanding ecosystem spanning semiconductors, data centres, quantum computing, and startups.
“Design and Develop in India. Deliver to the World. Deliver to Humanity,” Modi said, inviting global partners to collaborate in building scalable, secure, and affordable AI solutions.
Among those present were French President Emmanuel Macron, the UN Secretary-General, heads of state, ministers, and global AI industry leaders.
