Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam, formally opening the exhibition component of the five-day India AI Impact Summit that will run till February 20, positioning the country at the centre of the global artificial intelligence conversation.Touring multiple pavilions after the inauguration, the Prime Minister visited stalls set up by Indian start-ups and technology firms showcasing indigenous and sovereign AI capabilities. Giving a call for “AI for all”, PM Modi lauded home-grown large language and foundational models such as Sarvam AI, Bharat Gen and Gnani.AI, underscoring the importance of building domestic technological capacity.“Being here among innovators, researchers and tech enthusiasts gives a glimpse of the extraordinary potential of AI, Indian talent and innovation. Together, we will shape solutions not just for India but for the world,” PM Modi said.The inauguration comes at a time when nations are racing to build compute infrastructure, secure semiconductor supply chains and develop sovereign models amid growing concerns over data security, algorithmic bias and technological dependence. For India, the opportunity is matched by structural challenges such as scaling domestic compute capacity, ensuring access to high-quality multilingual datasets, expanding AI skilling and bridging digital divide.In a post on X, PM Modi welcomed global participants, saying the summit had brought together “world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts”. He highlighted the summit theme—sarvajana hitaya, sarvajana sukhaya—as reflecting India’s commitment to harnessing technology for human-centric progress.“AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise,” Modi said, adding that the summit would enrich global discourse on innovation, collaboration and responsible use.“Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. From digital public infrastructure to a vibrant start-up ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility,” he said in another post.Framing India’s position in the global race, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the summit’s outcomes would shape a “progressive, innovative and opportunity-driven future”.The expo, featuring hundreds of exhibitors, startups and global firms from India and 13 other countries, serves as a live showcase of deployable AI solutions across sectors such as healthcare diagnostics, climate analytics, agri-tech, smart mobility and governance platforms.Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, accompanied the PM to Airtel’s pavilion, where he briefed him on the company’s AI-led innovations and telecom applications.Earlier, Union IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government would soon launch a “Create in India” mission aimed at strengthening industry, generating employment and building a future-ready talent pipeline in emerging technologies.Industry experts are of the view that as global stakeholders converge in New Delhi, the summit and expo together aimed to position India not just as a consumer of artificial intelligence, but as a rule-shaper, advocating inclusive, responsible and development-driven AI aligned with Global South priorities.
