Written By: Divya | By: Divya | Published: Feb 16, 2026, 11:52 PM (IST)
Inside India AI Impact Summit 2026: PM Modi to global CEOs - what happened on day 1
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 opened with global participation, major tech showcases, and policy discussions at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. Here is all that happened on Day 1.
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PM Modi Inaugurates Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The February 16–20 event brings together delegates from 40+ countries, global leaders, startups, and researchers.
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Expo At A Massive Scale
Spread across 7,000+ square meters with multiple arenas, the summit features over 600 startups, 300 pavilions, and live demos focused on people, planet, and progress.
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PM Explores Startup Stalls
After the inauguration, PM Modi visited exhibition stalls, interacted with founders and companies, and reviewed emerging AI solutions shaping India’s growing tech ecosystem.
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Jio showcases its AI stack
Akash Ambani briefed the Prime Minister on Jio’s AI ecosystem, including Jio AI Stack, Sanskriti AI, Arogya AI, Shiksha, and AI Home, with live demonstrations at the pavilion.
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Sarvam: India’s Language AI Model
Industry leaders highlighted India’s progress in language models like Sarvam, suggesting these platforms could help make AI more accessible across diverse markets.
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‘UPI One World’ Rolled Out
NPCI introduced the UPI One World wallet for international delegates, enabling real-time payments without requiring an Indian bank account or mobile number.
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Autonomous Delivery Debut
Ottonomy unveiled a Made-in-India autonomous delivery ecosystem featuring Level-4 robots, smart storage points, and drone logistics.
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What else? AI Policy, Jobs And Future Talks
Speakers focused on balancing AI’s benefits and risks, with discussions around healthcare, education, governance, and employability. Many experts noted AI will transform jobs rather than eliminate them.