The summit is designed to move beyond abstract “principles” and focus on tangible impact for People, Planet, and Progress. Under the theme “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya” (Welfare for All, Happiness for All), India aims to showcase its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a model for low-cost, population-scale AI implementation.
The Framework: 3 Sutras and 7 Chakras
The summit’s deliberations are structured around a unique philosophical and operational framework:
The Three Sutras (Guiding Principles)
- People: Ensuring AI respects cultural diversity and preserves human dignity.
- Planet: Prioritizing resource-efficient AI that supports climate resilience.
- Progress: Driving inclusive economic growth that reaches the last mile.
The Seven Chakras (Areas of Cooperation)
- Human Capital: Global frameworks for reskilling and AI literacy.
- Inclusion for Social Empowerment: Multilingual systems and bias prevention.
- Safe and Trusted AI: Democratized access to safety testing and auditing tools.
- Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency: Frugal AI for resource-constrained regions.
- Science: AI for research and discovery in the Global South.
- Democratizing AI Resources: Equitable access to compute, data, and models.
- AI for Economic Development: Scaling AI in health, farming, and governance.
Who is Attending? A Rare Tech-Diplomacy Blend
The event is expected to host over 100 global CEOs and heads of state from more than 15–20 countries.
| Group | Notable Confirmed & Expected Attendees |
| Tech Leaders | Sam Altman (OpenAI), Sundar Pichai (Google), Jensen Huang (NVIDIA), Bill Gates, Demis Hassabis (DeepMind), Dario Amodei (Anthropic) |
| Global Leaders | PM Narendra Modi (Host), President Emmanuel Macron (France), President Lula da Silva (Brazil) |
| Corporate Titans | Shantanu Narayen (Adobe), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Cristiano Amon (Qualcomm), Raj Subramaniam (FedEx) |
Flagship Initiatives & Challenges
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has launched several global challenges leading up to the event:
- UDAAN (AI Pitch Fest): Showcasing startups from Tier 2 & 3 cities and women-led ventures.
- AI for ALL: A global challenge to identify AI solutions for large-scale social impact.
- YUVAi: A youth-focused program (ages 13–21) to foster AI thinking for social good.
Conclusion: A New Blueprint for the World
The India–AI Impact Summit 2026 is a critical inflection point. By inviting nations like China for the first time as a partner nation and focusing on the needs of the Global South, India is attempting to prevent a “Global AI Divide.”24 The summit will likely end with the New Delhi Declaration on Impactful AI, charting a path where technology serves as a force multiplier for human equity rather than a tool for regional concentration.
