New Delhi, February 2026 — In a historic first for global technology diplomacy, India has successfully hosted the AI Impact Summit 2026, bringing together 88 nations to sign the landmark New Delhi Declaration on AI for Social Good. The three-day event held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi marked a pivotal moment in artificial intelligence governance, demonstrating that the technology revolution can be democratized for the benefit of all humanity, not just concentrated among a handful of developed nations.
A Breakthrough for the Global South
The summit, officially titled "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya" (Welfare for All, Happiness for All), was hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the backing of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. This marks a significant shift in global AI governance, as it is the first major AI summit hosted in the Global South, challenging the traditional dominance of Western tech powers in setting the agenda.
"The numbers are important, but what is truly important is that the world has confidence in India's role in the new AI age," said Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw during the closing media address. "The quality of participation, the depth of dialogue, and the global endorsement of our approach to responsible and sovereign AI show that India is not just participating in this transformation—we are helping shape it."