Written By Shubham Arora
AI Impact Summit: What is MANAV Vision? PM Modi’s five-point framework for AI explained
PM Narendra Modi introduced the MANAV Vision for AI at the AI Impact Summit 2026, outlining five principles focused on ethics, governance and data rights.
Published By: Shubham Arora | Published: Feb 19, 2026, 04:30 PM (IST)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday presented what he called the “MANAV Vision” for artificial intelligence at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. The announcement was made during the fourth day at Bharat Mandapam, where policymakers, technology leaders, and delegates from over 100 countries were present. 
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The summit was attended by global leaders, senior technology executives and AI experts, who met to discuss how artificial intelligence should move forward in the coming years. Also Read: Anthropic rolls out Claude Sonnet 4.6 for Free and Pro users: What’s new in the latest AI model
What is the MANAV Vision?
During his address, PM Modi explained that “MANAV” stands for five guiding principles for AI development. Also Read: AI Impact Summit 2026 extended by a day; Event now open till February 21
- M stands for Moral and Ethical Systems
- A stands for Accountable Governance
- N stands for National Sovereignty
- A stands for Accessible and Inclusive
- V stands for Valid and Legitimate
He said the framework is meant to ensure that AI development remains centred on human welfare and public good.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of “whose data, their rights,” a line that reflects ongoing global debates around data control and cross-border flows.
Open and inclusive AI
PM Modi said AI should not become limited to a few companies or countries. He argued that artificial intelligence must be accessible, particularly for the Global South.
“We must democratise AI,” he said, adding that the technology should empower people rather than concentrate power.
According to coverage of the event, he described AI as a major turning point in history, comparing it to earlier technological shifts that shaped civilisations. He said the real question is not what AI can do on its own, but how humans choose to use it.
Safety, deepfakes and standards
In his address, the Prime Minister also touched on misuse of AI tools, especially for deepfakes and misinformation. He said AI-generated content should be clearly labelled for authenticity so that people can easily identify what is real and what has been created using AI.
He added that India has already moved in this direction by tightening its IT rules, which include quicker takedown timelines for deepfake content and stricter compliance requirements for platforms.
India’s AI push
The event also highlighted India’s growing AI ecosystem. According to summit coverage, Indian startups such as Sarvam AI, Gnani.ai and BharatGen showcased their models at the event.
Several global technology leaders were also present at the summit, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis.
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With the MANAV Vision, the government has laid out how it wants AI to develop in India, with focus on ethics, data sovereignty and wider access, rather than keeping the technology concentrated in the hands of a few players.
