Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai. India’s technology calendar sees a major moment as the India AI Impact Summit 2026 begins on February 16 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurates the summit at 5 pm. The five-day event, running till February 20, is being held alongside the India AI Impact Expo 2026. More than 300 companies from over 30 countries are showcasing advanced AI-powered gadgets and solutions, with a sharp focus on agriculture, education and healthcare.
Global tech showcase at Bharat mandapam
Spread across more than 70,000 square metres, the mega expo allows visitors to witness how Artificial Intelligence works in real life. Separate thematic sections, including a dedicated India AI pavilion, have been set up. Visitors are seen playing XO games with robots, watching robotic surgical systems in action and exploring AI-enabled automotive prototypes. Tech giants such as Google and Microsoft have put up expansive innovation camps. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who also chairs the Gates Foundation, has arrived in India to attend the summit.
Experts outline AI’s job impact
Industry leaders use the platform to address concerns around jobs and automation. Key takeaways include:
- Sanjeev Bikhchandani of Info Edge says AI raises productivity, not unemployment, urging youth to adopt AI tools.
- Harish Krishnan of Cisco Systems India says AI improves human capability and benefits future generations.
- Vineet Nayar, former CEO of HCL Technologies, says AI will impact 50 percent of jobs but also create 50 percent new roles.
- Tejpreet Chopra of CII National AI Forum says AI will drive entrepreneurship and reshape daily life.
- Puneet Chandok of Microsoft India and South Asia says AI will break jobs into smaller tasks, not eliminate them.
PM welcomes global leaders and innovators
In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes leaders, business heads, innovators, policy makers and researchers from across the world. The summit theme, Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay, reflects the shared commitment to use AI for the progress of humanity. Over 100 countries are expected to participate. Among global leaders likely to attend are France President Emmanuel Macron and Brazil President Lula da Silva, along with ministers from several nations.
Top CEOs and investment talks lined up
More than 40 CEOs from leading global and Indian technology firms are expected to join. These include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and business leaders such as Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, N Chandrasekaran of Tata Sons, Nandan Nilekani of Infosys, Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Enterprises, K Krithivasan of TCS and Roshni Nadar Malhotra of HCL Tech. On February 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a key roundtable with over 100 global leaders, where major investment and strategic partnership decisions in India’s AI sector are expected.
Five-day schedule and public highlights
The summit unfolds with structured discussions and launches:
- February 16: Roundtable talks begin; PM inaugurates the India AI Expo featuring 300-plus startups.
- February 17: Six special research books on farming, health, education, energy, gender empowerment and disability support are released.
- February 18: Scientists and think tanks present cutting-edge research and live demos.
- February 19: High-level CEO meeting with PM focuses on investments.
- February 20: GPAI Council meeting discusses making AI safe and trustworthy.
For the public, special attractions include YUVAi and AI for ALL programmes, startup interactions and experience zones featuring smart health monitoring and AI tutors, offering a direct glimpse into the future shaped by Artificial Intelligence.
