Modi welcomes 20+ global leaders as Delhi hosts Global South’s first mega AI summit
BuzzBytes
New Delhi | February 18, 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday personally received a galaxy of world leaders at Bharat Mandapam as New Delhi turned into the global capital of artificial intelligence with the opening engagements of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
From Europe to South Asia, from island nations to global institutions, heads of state and government leaders walked into Bharat Mandapam to a ceremonial welcome, underlining India’s growing role in shaping the future of AI, digital public infrastructure and responsible technology governance.
Among the leaders welcomed by the Prime Minister were Spain’s President Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon, Slovak Republic President Peter Pellegrini, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Finland Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Estonian President Alar Karis.
Welcoming the visiting leaders, Modi was seen in animated conversation with several heads of government, exchanging greetings and brief words before the formal sessions began.
“India is happy to host the world at Bharat Mandapam. AI should serve people, protect the planet and power progress,” Modi told one of the visiting delegations informally, according to officials present at the venue.
The Prime Minister also received Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Seychelles Vice President Sebastien Pillay, Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Croatia Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
The presence of top global institutions gave the summit added weight. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva arrived to participate in the high-level deliberations, along with Vice Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana and Edmand Lara Montano of Bolivia.
“This summit reflects a new phase of global cooperation where technology is not owned by a few countries but shaped collectively,” a senior Indian official said.
“India is positioning itself as the bridge between the Global North and the Global South on AI governance.”
The India AI Impact Summit 2026, being held from February 16 to 20, is the first major global AI gathering hosted in the Global South. Officials said this was a conscious decision to shift the centre of global tech conversations beyond traditional Western capitals.
Anchored around three pillars — People, Planet and Progress — the summit is focusing on how artificial intelligence can be used to solve real-world problems such as healthcare access, climate action, agriculture productivity, education delivery and disaster management.
Diplomats said closed-door meetings among leaders will cover issues ranging from ethical AI frameworks and data governance to AI-driven economic growth, digital public infrastructure and south-south technology partnerships.
The Prime Minister had inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 earlier this week at Bharat Mandapam, showcasing India’s indigenous AI platforms, public digital infrastructure, startups and mission-mode programmes under the IndiaAI Mission and Digital India.
“This is not just about showcasing technology. This is about shaping global rules of the AI age,” said an official involved in the summit planning.
“India wants AI to be inclusive, safe, trusted and development-oriented.”
With more than 20 Heads of State, 60 Ministers and around 500 global AI leaders in attendance, the summit has seen unprecedented participation. Delegations include policymakers, global tech firms, startups, academia and civil society groups.
PM Modi is scheduled to deliver the main inaugural address on February 19, where he is expected to outline India’s vision for responsible AI, global governance frameworks and how emerging economies can leapfrog development using digital public infrastructure.
Senior government officials said Modi’s message will centre on one theme:
“AI should not widen the gap between rich and poor nations. It must become a tool of empowerment, not exclusion.”
As Delhi hosts the world’s most powerful minds in technology and policymaking, the India AI Impact Summit is being seen as a moment when India moved from being a technology adopter to becoming a global agenda-setter in the AI era.
