Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched India as a trusted and inclusive global hub for artificial intelligence, calling for technology that is developed domestically and deployed for the benefit of the world. Speaking at the high-profile India AI Impact Summit in the national capital, he emphasised that AI must be people-centric, ethical and accessible to all nations, especially the Global South.
The summit brought together global leaders, policymakers, industry heads and technology experts to deliberate on innovation, investment, governance and the future of AI-driven economies. The gathering reflects India’s growing ambition to shape international frameworks around emerging technologies while strengthening its own digital ecosystem.
Highlighting India’s rapid digital transformation, Modi pointed to the country’s strong public digital infrastructure, vast talent pool and thriving startup ecosystem as key advantages in the global AI race. He said India is moving from being a large consumer of technology to becoming a developer and exporter of cutting-edge AI solutions.
The prime minister stressed that artificial intelligence should be used to solve real-world challenges in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and climate action. He underlined the need for global collaboration to create balanced regulations that promote innovation while addressing concerns related to safety, transparency and ethics.
A major theme of the summit was equitable access to AI. India argued that the technology must not remain concentrated in a few countries or corporations, and called for capacity-building, knowledge-sharing and investment flows to developing nations.
The event also served as a platform for partnerships between governments, academia, startups and major technology firms. Officials said such collaborations would accelerate research, boost infrastructure and attract investments into India’s fast-expanding AI sector.
With AI increasingly influencing economic growth and geopolitical power, the summit signalled India’s intent to play a central role in shaping its future.
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