Global AI companies target India as Delhi hosts landmark technology summit

New Delhi will host the India AI Impact Summit 2026 starting Monday, bringing together the world’s most influential artificial intelligence leaders, policymakers, and corporate executives.

The five-day gathering at Bharat Mandapam will run from February 16 to February 20 and is the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South.

It is also expected to be the largest among the four global AI summits held so far.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to formally inaugurate the summit on February 19 and convene a CEO roundtable, as governments and companies increasingly view India as central to artificial intelligence deployment and investment strategies worldwide.

The summit will see participation from 15 to 20 heads of government, more than 50 ministers, and over 40 Indian and global chief executives.

Attendees include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Microsoft President Brad Smith, Meta Chief AI officer Alexandr Wang, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

Thousands of delegates from governments, industry, and academia are expected to attend, reflecting the summit’s importance for shaping global artificial intelligence investment, partnerships, and policy decisions.

Expo and summit structure

More than 700 sessions are planned over five days, covering artificial intelligence safety, governance, ethical deployment, data protection, and India’s sovereign AI approach.

A key component of the gathering is the India AI Impact Expo, spanning more than 70,000 square metres and featuring over 300 exhibitors from 30 countries.

The expo will showcase practical artificial intelligence applications across healthcare, agriculture, education, climate action, energy efficiency, and accessibility.

India’s national skilling initiatives, such as AI for ALL, AI by HER, YUVAi, and India AI Tinkerpreneur, will also be highlighted.

These programmes are designed to build artificial intelligence awareness and skills among students, young professionals, and underrepresented groups.

The summit is guided by three foundational pillars referred to as Sutras, namely People, Planet, and Progress.

These are supported by seven working groups, called Chakras, covering human capital, inclusion for social empowerment, safe and trusted AI, science, resilience and innovation, democratising AI resources, and artificial intelligence for economic development and social good.

Agenda and key meetings

The summit agenda spans five days and includes keynote addresses, expert roundtables, research symposiums, and industry sessions.

On February 16, keynote sessions, policy discussions, and the inauguration of the India AI Expo will take place, bringing together innovators, startups, public institutions, and industry leaders.

On February 17, panel discussions will continue, and knowledge compendia will be released, including casebooks on artificial intelligence use in health, energy, education, agriculture, gender empowerment, and disabilities.

February 18 will feature a research symposium involving academics, researchers, and think tanks presenting artificial intelligence research and policy insights.

Dedicated industry sessions will also showcase real-world deployments and innovations.

February 19 will mark the formal opening ceremony led by Prime Minister Modi, along with a high level CEO roundtable involving global executives, investors, and policymakers.

On February 20, the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence council meetings will convene member nations to review progress, align priorities, and strengthen multilateral cooperation, followed by the adoption of the leaders’ declaration.

India emerges as key AI market

The presence of global technology leaders reflects India’s growing importance as an artificial intelligence market.

As companies invest heavily in developing AI models and infrastructure, they are seeking customers and enterprise adoption opportunities to support long term growth.

India’s vast service economy, large workforce, and expanding digital population make it a critical location for artificial intelligence deployment across sectors such as enterprise services, education, and government.

Technology companies are also targeting India’s infrastructure expansion, including data centre development and computing capacity, which could increase demand for artificial intelligence hardware and software.

India’s large internet user base, extensive data ecosystem, and growing workforce provide opportunities for artificial intelligence training, deployment, and commercialisation.

The summit’s outcomes are expected to guide policymakers, investors, and industry leaders, as India positions itself as a key centre for global artificial intelligence cooperation and technology investment.

Hotel prices surge

The summit has triggered an unprecedented spike in luxury accommodation demand across New Delhi.

According to Bloomberg, some premium hotel suites that normally cost under $1,000 per night are now listed for as much as $33,000, reflecting intense competition among corporate delegations, foreign officials, and technology executives seeking secure lodging near the summit venue.

Several five-star hotels have introduced minimum stay requirements and sharply raised rates for top rooms, while entire floors have been reserved for government delegations and senior executives.

The surge has been most visible at hotels near diplomatic and government zones, where proximity and security are critical.

Demand has also extended beyond hotels, with private aviation traffic into Delhi rising as executives and investors arrive for meetings and partnership discussions.

The pricing surge highlights the scale of the gathering, as global technology companies and policymakers converge on India to secure partnerships, investments, and influence in the artificial intelligence market.

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