India's AI Impact Summit 2026: Shaping Global AI Governance for the Public Good
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Science & Technology (Artificial Intelligence - AI), International Relations (Global Summits, Global South), Governance (MyGov, Digital Public Infrastructure).
Mains:
GS Paper 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; Important International institutions and fora.
GS Paper 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications; Awareness in the fields of IT, Computers, robotics.
Essay: Topics related to AI, India's global role, technology and society.
Key Highlights from the News
India will host the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February 2026.
This summit is an opportunity for India to show the world that governments can use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the public good.
India can act as a bridge between the differences that existed among countries like the US and China in previous summits (Bletchley 2023, Paris 2025).
To shape the summit's agenda, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) conducted a national consultation through the MyGov platform.
India is focusing on how AI can be used for inclusive growth and development.
India has a significant role to play in ensuring the participation of Global South countries and protecting their interests.
The article suggests that India should try to find a middle ground between the different approaches to global AI governance of the US, Europe, and China.
Instead of creating a new global AI Authority, India should try to bring existing systems together and share AI capabilities worldwide.

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