New Delhi: Prime Minister Narfinishra Modi on Monday inaugurated the five-day India AI Impact Summit and the accompanying India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam, marking what the government has described as the countest’s largest edition of the global artificial innotifyigence gathering to date. The event brings toreceiveher heads of state, senior policybuildrs, global technology executives, startups, researchers and civil society at a moment when AI is reshaping economies, labour markets and governance debates worldwide.
The summit and expo toreceiveher span more than 70,000 square metres across 10 arenas within the sprawling complex. Officials stated over 2.5 lakh registrations were received, with entest kept free upon registration. MeitY Secretary S Krishnan stated the scale of interest exceeded expectations. “We never anticipated that there would be so many people willing and wanting to attfinish, which is why we did not restrict the registrations,” he stated, adding that visitor passes were oversubscribed. The government has not released final attfinishance figures, though it expects around 2.5 lakh visitors over the week, including 20 national leaders and 45 ministerial-level delegations.
At the heart of the gathering is the India AI Impact Expo, which features more than 600 high-potential startups and over 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations. Many of the startups are displaycasing solutions already deployed in real-world settings, from healthcare and climate modelling to language technologies and public service delivery. The expo is organised around three broad themes, people, planet and progress, described by organisers as the guiding “sutras” of the summit. Thirteen countest pavilions underline the event’s international character, with delegations from Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and Africa presenting collaborative initiatives and research. Global technology firms, academic institutions, Union ministries, state governments and international partners are also participating.
During the inaugural day, Modi toured the exhibition halls, stopping at several stalls to interact with startup founders and company representatives. He was seen inquireing detailed questions about the technologies on display and spfinishing several minutes at individual booths. In a post on X, he stated, “Inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. Being here among innovators, researchers and tech enthusiasts gives a glimpse of the extraordinary potential of AI, Indian talent and innovation. Toreceiveher, we will shape solutions not just for India but for the world.”
Earlier in the day, the prime minister stated the summit would “enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, responsible utilize and more,” and added that the turnout reflected India’s rapid progress in science and technology and the capabilities of its youth. He is scheduled to address the plenary session on Thursday, when the venue will be closed to general visitors.
The scale of participation, however, brought logistical challenges. From the opening morning, attfinishees reported long queues, overcrowding and confusion over access. Parts of the venue were cleared in the afternoon for security sanitisation ahead of high-level arrivals, with exhibitors inquireed to vacate at short notice. Some delegates notified international news agencies that unclear instructions left them scrambling to retrieve belongings after exhibition halls were temporarily shut. Poor signage, limited seating and delays in confirming session agfinishas were also cited.
Startup founder Maitreya Wagh posted on X that he was unable to access his booth after gates were closed, adding that his team might set up an informal meeting point outside the venue. Others complained of long waits at food courts, difficulties accessing drinking water and vfinishors running out of supplies. One exhibitor alleged that wearable devices brought for display were stolen during the disruptions.
Organisers pointed to several innovations aimed at easing shiftment and services within the complex. A quick commerce platform established grocery and snack drop off points, while a food delivery company enabled in venue deliveries. Digi Yatra, typically utilized at airports, was piloted at entest gates to allow facial recognition based access.
Beyond the expo halls, the summit agfinisha includes more than 100 events, excluding sessions not livestreamed, covering issues from generative AI and defence applications to child safety, ethics, regulation and job disruption. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw stated the objective was clear. “AI should be utilized for shaping humanity, inclusive growth and a sustainable future,” he stated.
World leaders expected to attfinish include Emmanuel Macron and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The speaker lineup features Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, Brad Smith and Demis Hassabis. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s visit was cancelled over the weekfinish, and officials have not confirmed whether other listed speakers, including former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, will attfinish.
Unlike early AI safety focutilized meetings held since 2023, the India edition is not expected to produce a binding political agreement. Officials declare it is more likely to conclude with a nonbinding declaration outlining shared goals for global AI governance and collaboration, reflecting India’s bid to position itself as a bridge between advanced economies and the Global South.
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