India to host world’s first Global South AI summit in 2026, with Ashwini Vaishnaw inviting Rishi Sunak to join global talks on responsible, inclusive artificial intelligence.
India’s Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has invited former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026, a landmark global event that India will host in New Delhi next February.
Sharing details of their exchange on social media, Vaishnaw wrote, “Good conversation with former UK PM @RishiSunak. He appreciated Bharat’s progress in semiconductors and electronics. Invited him to the upcoming AI Impact Summit.”
The summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026, was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit and will be the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South. The event underscores India’s rising stature in technology governance and its ambition to lead the global conversation on responsible artificial intelligence.
Officials said the AI Impact Summit will build upon the momentum generated by previous high-level forums, including the UK AI Safety Summit, the AI Seoul Summit, the France AI Action Summit, and the Global AI Summit on Africa. The upcoming event will aim to move beyond political declarations and focus on tangible, measurable progress in the ethical deployment of AI.
According to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the summit will mark a turning point in international AI cooperation, focusing on real-world outcomes that make technology more inclusive and sustainable. It will also provide a platform to amplify the voice of the Global South, ensuring equitable access to technological benefits rather than concentrating them in advanced economies.
Discussions will address the key challenges of the AI era — from job displacement and algorithmic bias to energy-intensive computing — while promoting people-centric innovation that drives social progress and environmental sustainability.
The event will also highlight India’s growing ecosystem in semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, and digital infrastructure — areas in which the country has made rapid strides under its “Digital India” and “Make in India” initiatives.
By hosting the AI Impact Summit 2026, India seeks to position itself as a bridge between developed and developing nations, steering the global AI agenda toward inclusive growth, social development, and shared accountability.
The summit is expected to bring together heads of state, policymakers, tech leaders, and AI researchers to shape frameworks for responsible innovation under India’s leadership.
