As the inaugural India AI Impact Summit 2026 got underway at Bharat Mandapam, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai touched down in the national capital on Wednesday, receiving a warm reception and promptly heading into a high-profile meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pichai, who is in India to attend the mega summit, is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on February 20. Shortly after his arrival, the Google chief took to social media platform X to express his delight at being back in the country. "Back in India and glad to be here. Thanks for the warm welcome!" Pichai posted, signaling the start of what promises to be a significant visit focused on the future of artificial intelligence.
The meeting between the Prime Minister and the tech leader comes on the opening day of the five-day India AI Impact Summit 2026, which is being hosted at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20. The event marks a historic moment, being the first time a global AI summit of this massive scale has been organized in the Global South.
The scale of participation is staggering, with over 110 countries and around 30 international organizations taking part. The attendee list includes several Heads of State, Ministers, and a diverse mix of global technology leaders, startups, AI researchers, academicians, innovators, healthcare leaders, and civil society representatives.
The primary objective of the summit is to strengthen international cooperation on artificial intelligence, with dedicated tracks focusing on governance, safety, and the broader societal impact—not just within India, but across the world.
The theme of the summit revolves around three core pillars: People, Planet, and Progress. This framework emphasizes a human-centric approach to building AI, ensuring that technological advancements contribute positively to environmental sustainability, and fostering inclusive growth that benefits all sections of society.
Organizers have highlighted that this vision aligns seamlessly with India’s ancient philosophy of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” (Welfare and Happiness for All). The guiding principle is to harness the power of AI to serve humanity and ensure that the benefits of this transformative technology are shared equitably worldwide.
Ahead of the summit, Prime Minister Modi spoke to ANI about the potential of AI, particularly for India's youth and the booming IT sector. He emphasized that he views AI as a landscape rich with both opportunities and challenges.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence in the power of smart outsourcing and automation driven by AI, predicting that these forces could propel India’s IT industry to hit the USD 400 billion mark by 2030.
According to PM Modi, AI is set to be a game-changer that will push Indian companies to move beyond traditional service offerings and venture into developing cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions. His vision underscores the government's commitment to positioning India not just as a consumer of AI technology, but as a leading innovator on the global stage.
With the convergence of global leaders and a clear vision from the top, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 is shaping up to be a defining milestone. It signals India's readiness to take a central role in shaping a future of responsible, inclusive, and impactful artificial intelligence.
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