India, Feb. 24 -- Why did the AI Impact Summit in Delhi draw so much attention in February 2026? Part of the answer is scale. The room held more than researchers and policy staff. It also brought in AI company leaders, heads of Government, and sector groups that live with AI's side effects. Compared with earlier global AI conferences, this one felt closer to execution. The summit framed AI as infrastructure, not a lab project.

In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushed a clear direction: AI should be accountable, safe, democratic, inclusive, and human-centric, anchored in the MANAV vision. Earlier global meetings often split the discussion. Tech teams spoke about capability, while Governments argued about risk. Delhi pulled thos...