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India is at a pivotal moment in its technological journey, undergoing rapid digital transformation. Not only is it emerging as a vast market for artificial intelligence (AI), it is also becoming a key player in shaping how AI is developed, deployed, and governed globally.
Notably, India is not only an avid consumer of AI, but also an active contributor to its growth and innovation. Global rankings, including the Stanford AI Index, place India among the top countries for AI capabilities, talent, and policy frameworks, reflecting its robust research base and growing startup ecosystem. The government’s approval of the 5-year India AI Mission in 2024, which comes with a substantial budget, is a significant step towards strengthening this position.1
Demonstrating its strong determination to become a global leader in AI, India hosted the AI Impact Summit 2026 in February this year. This was the first global AI summit to be held in the Global South. The summit aimed to strengthen international partnerships, deliver practical results, and ensure that AI supports inclusive growth, social development, and people-focused innovation. A structured framework for global AI cooperation was introduced, based on the principles of ‘People, Planet, and Progress’, organised around key areas such as ‘Human Capital, Inclusion, Safe and Trusted AI, Resilience and Innovation, Science, Democratisation of AI Resources, and AI for Economic and Social Good’ –the ‘Seven Chakras’.2
At the end of the summit, participating countries signed and endorsed a declaration (the ‘Declaration’), establishing a non-binding, soft-law framework for global AI governance based on shared principles rather than enforceable legal obligations. The Declaration reaffirms respect for national sovereignty, encouraging voluntary cooperation between countries and stakeholders to promote the development of safe, trustworthy, and human-centric AI.
The Declaration focuses on strengthening international cooperation, improving access to AI resources, supporting capacity building, and ensuring that AI contributes to inclusive and sustainable development. While it does not establish any binding legal obligations or enforcement mechanisms, the intention is for it to guide the development of responsible AI on a global scale, potentially influencing the evolution of future domestic AI legislation and international governance frameworks.3
Footnotes
1. As per Press Information Bureau (PIB) publication available https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2209737®=3&lang=1#:~:text=On%20the%20NASSCOM%20AI%20Adoption,services%20and%20insurance%2C%20and%20healthcare
2. As per Press Information Bureau (PIB) publication available https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2225069®=3&lang=2#:~:text=People:%20Promoting%20human%2Dcentric%20AI,%2C%20growth%2C%20and%20development%20outcomes
3. As per the AI Impact Summit Declaration available https://d19ob9sqegt2wc.cloudfront.net/stage/uploads/AI_Impact_Summit_Declaration_f208574dfc.pdf
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