TLDR: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has invited former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to India’s upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for February 19-20, 2026, in New Delhi. This summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, aiming to foster international cooperation and responsible AI development.
New Delhi, India – Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has extended a formal invitation to former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to attend the India-AI Impact Summit 2026. The prestigious event is slated to take place on February 19-20, 2026, in the capital city of New Delhi, marking a significant step in India’s burgeoning role in the global artificial intelligence landscape.
Minister Vaishnaw confirmed the invitation following a conversation with Sunak, details of which were shared by the minister on a social media platform. Vaishnaw noted, “Good conversation with former UK PM @RishiSunak. He appreciated Bharat’s progress in semiconductors and electronics. Invited him to the upcoming AI Impact Summit.”
The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 was initially announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the France AI Action Summit. This upcoming event is poised to be a landmark occasion, as it will be the first-ever global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South. This positioning underscores India’s growing leadership in advanced technologies and its commitment to inclusive global technological progress.
The summit aims to build upon the momentum generated by other significant international forums, including the UK AI Safety Summit, the AI Seoul Summit, the France AI Action Summit, and the Global AI Summit on Africa. It is envisioned as a high-level global platform designed to strengthen existing multilateral initiatives and to inaugurate new cooperative frameworks for the advancement of artificial intelligence.
A core objective of the AI Impact Summit 2026 is to transition from broad political declarations to tangible impact and demonstrable progress in promoting the responsible use of AI worldwide. The event seeks to outline a clear path towards a future where the transformative capabilities of AI are harnessed to serve humanity. This includes driving inclusive growth, fostering social development, and championing people-centric innovations that also prioritize planetary protection.
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Crucially, the summit is committed to amplifying the voice of the Global South, ensuring that the benefits derived from technological advancements are distributed widely and are not concentrated solely in a few regions.
