New Delhi: India’s capital, New Delhi, has become the focal point of one of the largest global artificial intelligence events this year as the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and its accompanying India AI Impact Expo kicked off at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday.
Organised under the IndiaAI Mission by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and other partners, the event runs from February 16–20 and is designed to showcase India’s growing role in global AI innovation and implementation.
Expo Footprint And Participation
The Expo sprawls across more than 70,000 square metres of venue space, divided into 10 thematic arenas, reported Hindustan Times.
A total of over 600 high-potential startups are participating, many showcasing AI solutions already deployed at population scale in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance.
Organisers have set up 13 country pavilions, featuring international collaborators from nations including Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and several African countries.
In addition to these, more than 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations are spread across the Expo, structured around three thematic “chakras” — People, Planet, and Progress — representing AI’s varied societal impact.
Bringing the world together to discuss AI!
Starting today, India hosts the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. I warmly welcome world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the world for this Summit. The…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 16, 2026
Sessions & Delegates
The summit and expo are expected to draw over 2.5 lakh visitors, including international delegates.
Across the five days, organisers anticipate more than 500 structured sessions such as keynote addresses, panel discussions, and expert roundtables, featuring over 3,250 speakers and panelists.
Indigenous AI & Global Relevance
Under the IndiaAI mission, the summit will also see the unveiling of 12 indigenous AI foundation models developed by Indian startups and consortia. These models have been trained on Indian datasets and calibrated for the country’s 22 official languages, aiming to broaden AI accessibility and relevance
Officials say the scale of the summit — from the size of the Expo to the diversity of participants — reflects India’s ambition to be a significant global hub for AI development, deployment, and policy dialogue.
