Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls for democratizing Artificial Intelligence and presents India’s M.A.N.A.V. vision at global summit in the capital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Wednesday. The summit brought together leaders, experts and innovators from over 100 countries.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that Artificial Intelligence marks a transformative chapter in human history. He said AI is not just making machines intelligent but is also multiplying human capability. He noted that the world’s largest and historic AI Impact Summit is being held in India, a country representing one-sixth of humanity.
Shri Modi said India has the world’s largest youth population and a strong technology ecosystem. He added that 140 crore Indians are ready to embrace new technologies. He welcomed Heads of Governments, global AI leaders and innovators to the summit and said hosting the event is a matter of pride for India and the Global South.
The Prime Minister stressed that AI must be democratized. He said AI should become a tool for inclusion and empowerment, especially for developing nations. Referring to the summit theme ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya’ (Welfare for all, Happiness of all), he said AI must be human-centric and responsible.
At the summit, PM Modi outlined India’s M.A.N.A.V. vision for AI:
- M – Moral and Ethical Systems: AI must follow ethical guidelines.
- A – Accountable Governance: There must be transparent rules and strong oversight.
- N – National Sovereignty: Data belongs to its rightful owner.
- A – Accessible and Inclusive: AI should not be limited to a few but benefit all.
- V – Valid and Legitimate: AI systems must be lawful and verifiable.
He said the M.A.N.A.V. vision will guide the development of AI for the welfare of humanity in the 21st century.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the future of work. He said the world is entering an era where humans and intelligent systems will co-create, co-work and co-evolve. AI, he added, will make work smarter, more efficient and more impactful. He called for skilling, reskilling and lifelong learning to prepare people for new opportunities.
Shri Modi highlighted the need for global standards to address issues like deepfakes and fake content. He said digital content should carry authenticity labels so that people can identify AI-generated material. He emphasized transparency and open development of AI, stating that AI should become a Global Common Good.
The summit was attended by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and several Heads of State, ministers and global technology leaders.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 focuses on three pillars—People, Planet and Progress. Seven working groups will discuss areas such as economic growth, social good, safe and trusted AI, human capital, science, and innovation. Over 500 global AI leaders, 100 CEOs and founders, 150 academicians and more than 100 government representatives are participating in the event.
Concluding his address, Prime Minister Modi invited the world to “Design and Develop in India. Deliver to the World. Deliver to Humanity,” saying that in AI, India sees both opportunity and the blueprint of tomorrow.
Source: PMO
