Prime Minister Narendra Modi will headline the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled from February 15 to 20, as India steps into a central role in shaping the global artificial intelligence agenda with an emphasis on “democratising AI.”

Confirming the plans, S Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said the summit will convene policymakers, technology leaders, scientists, and academics from more than 100 countries, with invitations extended to nearly 140 nations. India has also formally invited China, signalling a measured easing of bilateral engagement in the technology sphere.

The high-profile gathering is expected to feature leading global voices, including Bill Gates, Dario Amodei, Demis Hassabis, Shantanu Narayen, Marc Benioff, and Jensen Huang. Other confirmed participants include Cristiano Amon and Raj Subramaniam, alongside more than 50 CEOs and founders and over 100 senior academics.

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the AI Impact Expo on February 16, host a gala dinner for visiting technology leaders on February 18, and participate in the formal summit opening, leaders’ plenary, and CEO roundtable on February 19. A ministerial meeting of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence will conclude the summit on February 20.

An innovation festival highlighting creative and social applications of AI will begin on February 15 at Connaught Place, with nearly 800 parallel AI events and over 1.5 lakh attendees expected nationwide during summit week.