Global South’s First AI Summit Begins in New Delhi
The five-day India AI Impact Summit commenced today in New Delhi, marking a significant milestone as the first AI summit in the Global South. Notable technology leaders such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis are in attendance, alongside policymakers from 20 countries, including French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Significance of the Summit
This summit provides a platform for over 600 startups and 3,000 speakers to showcase innovations in artificial intelligence. Previously, similar global AI summits were hosted in the UK (2023), South Korea (2024), and France (2025), but this event stands out as a pioneering initiative in developing regions, including parts of Asia, South America, and Africa.
India’s AI Landscape
Despite trailing behind the US and China in AI investments, India is rapidly expanding its data center capacity and developing several sovereign AI models. The summit aims to enhance collaboration between AI startups and global investors, with the Indian AI market projected to triple to $17 billion by 2027.
Government Initiatives
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans to unveil multiple sovereign AI models that leverage Indian language datasets. The Indian government is making substantial investments—over ₹10,000 crore—to bolster public service delivery through AI.
A significant tax incentive has been introduced, offering a tax holiday until 2047 for foreign companies using Indian data centers. The government also aims to increase data center capacity from 960 MW to 9.2 GW by 2030.
Empowering Women in Tech
The summit is also hosting the AI by HER program, which focuses on promoting women technologists and their AI solutions aimed at solving real-world public challenges.
Indian Sovereign AI Models
Under the national AI mission, India has selected 12 firms to develop local large language models (LLMs) and voice AI systems. For instance, Sarvam AI is enhancing governance and public service delivery through its AI models, while other projects aim to create sector-specific applications in defense, healthcare, and education.
AI Governance and Ethical Framework
In preparation for the summit, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released new AI governance guidelines aimed at ensuring AI is developed in a safe and inclusive manner. The guidelines propose establishing national institutions such as the AI Governance Group and the AI Safety Institute.
These guidelines emphasize trust as a foundational principle and advocate for keeping humans at the center of AI development to ensure technology benefits society. Unlike the stringent regulations seen in the EU, India plans a light-touch regulatory approach, introducing safeguards only as necessary.
Conclusion
The India AI Impact Summit represents a pivotal moment for the Global South in the AI arena, showcasing advancements, fostering collaboration, and promoting ethical AI practices that could reshape the technological landscape in developing regions.
