As preparations intensify for the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026, the focus is now on the "Seven Chakras" motif symbolising the summit's core thematic areas. The design draws from ancient Indian philosophy, where chakras represent energy centers, adapted here to outline seven interlinked working groups focused on AI development, governance and real-world applications, particularly in emerging economies.
The summit, hosted by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is scheduled to run from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. It aims to gather representatives from over 100 countries to discuss AI's global implications, with an emphasis on human-centric and responsible innovation.
The 'seven chakras' each correspond to a specific pillar of the summit's agenda. Here is a breakdown of each chakra and its significance:
1. Human Capital: This chakra addresses workforce preparation for an AI-driven economy, emphasizing skilling, reskilling and managing job transitions to mitigate employment disruptions caused by automation. It underscores India's expanding pool of AI talent.
2. Inclusion for Social Empowerment: Focused on leveraging AI to improve access to essential services, this includes tools like language translation platforms, voice-activated citizen services and AI applications for farmers, aimed at benefiting rural and underserved communities.
3. Safe and Trusted AI: This pillar tackles governance, ethics and risk management in AI systems. It calls for institutional frameworks and safety protocols to ensure transparency, accountability and alignment with public interests.
4. Science and Research: Centered on AI's contributions to scientific progress, this chakra highlights applications in areas such as climate modeling, health research and agricultural innovation, while bolstering domestic research capabilities.
5. Resilience, Innovation and Efficiency: This explores AI's role in enhancing infrastructure efficiency, disaster response and public administration, as well as building systemic resilience against various disruptions.
6. Democratising AI Resources: Aimed at broadening access to key AI enablers, this includes shared computing infrastructure, public datasets and affordable models, particularly for startups and academic institutions.
7. AI for Economic Development and Social Good: This chakra examines sector-specific AI deployments in agriculture, healthcare, education and the justice system, tying them to measurable development outcomes.
The summit's framework is further guided by three overarching principles, or 'Sutras' - People (prioritizing human-centric AI), Planet (promoting environmentally responsible systems) and Progress (fostering inclusive economic growth). These elements position India as a key advocate for the Global South in AI discussions, balancing technological advancement with regulatory safeguards.
Global tech leaders coming to the India AI Impact Summit 2026
Adding to the event's prominence, several high-profile big tech leaders are confirmed to attend, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the summit on February 19 and host a roundtable with CEOs the same day.
With over 35,000 registrations already received, the summit is expected to feature more than 500 sessions and participation from heads of state, ministers, academics and startups.
