Over six days of high-level deliberations, policy debates, and strategic announcements, India signalled something far more consequential than a routine technology conference. When the AI Summit concluded on February 21, 2026, what remained was a clear political and technological doctrine. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has placed artificial intelligence at the centre of its national future — and increasingly at the heart of its global ambition.

The New Delhi Declaration: From Innovation to Responsibility

The most visible outcome of the February 16–21 summit was the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, endorsed by a wide coalition of countries and international institutions. At its core, the declaration commits governments to pursuing artificial intelligence that is ethical, transparent, inclusive, and socially responsible.

The framework builds upon global AI principles developed by the OECD and aligns with discussions held during India’s G20 presidency, where digital public infrastructure and responsible AI governance were central themes.

The declaration reflects a significant shift in global tone. AI is no longer framed solely as an engine of commercial acceleration. Instead, it is being repositioned as an instrument of public trust, social equity, and long-term institutional responsibility.

A National AI Roadmap Backed by Investment

For India, the summit marked the unveiling of a carefully structured national roadmap connecting immediate innovation with long-term scientific capacity. This roadmap builds upon the IndiaAI Mission, approved in 2024 with an allocation exceeding ₹10,000 crore.

The mission focuses on:

• Expanding compute capacity

• Funding indigenous foundational models

• Supporting AI startups

• Strengthening AI research fellowships

Institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science and the IIT ecosystem are central to this strategy. The objective is to integrate universities, public research institutions, startups, industry, and government agencies into a unified innovation architecture.

India’s digital foundation strengthens this ambition. With over 900 million internet users and more than 1.3 billion digital identities issued under Aadhaar, the country has demonstrated unmatched scale in digital deployment. Meanwhile, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processes billions of transactions monthly, showcasing the transformative potential of public digital infrastructure.

AI for Public Systems: From Labs to Lives

Healthcare, agriculture, education, climate resilience, and urban governance emerged as priority sectors for AI deployment.

Programmes such as Ayushman Bharat and PM Gati Shakti are natural platforms for AI-driven optimisation, predictive analytics, and data integration.

The ambition articulated during the February 16–21 summit was clear: artificial intelligence must move beyond pilot projects and into everyday governance systems that directly impact millions of citizens.

Building Sovereign Compute and Semiconductor Capacity

A recurring theme throughout the six-day summit was infrastructure sovereignty. India announced expanded high-performance computing capacity and continued incentives under its semiconductor manufacturing initiatives.

The strategic logic is straightforward: a credible AI economy cannot rely indefinitely on external computing power or fragile global supply chains.

By investing in:

• Domestic data centres

• AI compute clusters

• Semiconductor manufacturing ecosystems

India aims to secure long-term technological autonomy and reduce strategic vulnerability.

The Quantum AI Frontier

One of the most forward-looking elements of the summit was India’s emphasis on Quantum AI. This complements the National Quantum Mission, launched in 2023 with an allocation of ₹6,000 crore over eight years.

Institutions, including the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), are advancing quantum research collaborations. The convergence of quantum computing and AI holds transformative potential in:

• Complex optimisation problems

• Climate modelling

• Pharmaceutical discovery

• Cybersecurity

By foregrounding Quantum AI during the February 16–21 summit, India signalled its intention to participate in the next frontier of computational science rather than merely adopt existing technologies.

India as a Bridge in the Global AI Order

Internationally, the summit reinforced India’s emerging role as a bridge between competing technological powers. While the United States and China continue to compete over frontier AI models, India positioned itself as a convenor for countries seeking inclusive access to computing resources and collaborative research platforms.

This bridging posture has strengthened India’s voice in global conversations on:

• AI standards

• Governance frameworks

• Cross-border cooperation

• Ethical deployment models

A StrategiInflexionon Point

The true significance of the February 16–21, 2026, summit lies in its coherence. Anchored by the New Delhi Declaration and reinforced by a structured national roadmap, India presented a unified strategy connecting innovation, infrastructure, governance, and frontier science.

By pairing immediate deployment priorities with long-term investments in Quantum AI and deep research ecosystems, India is signalling a transformation in its technological posture.

It no longer seeks merely to be a digital market or service provider. It is positioning itself as a contributor to the rules, standards, and scientific foundations that will define the future of artificial intelligence.