🤖 India is hosting a global AI summit in New Delhi this week, bringing together about 20 international leaders and senior executives from major technology companies as New Delhi tries to shape emerging global rules for artificial intelligence while showcasing its own ambitions in the sector 43. Indian officials describe the gathering as a way to widen who gets to set AI norms—arguing that AI governance and the benefits of the technology should not be dominated by only a few geographies 15.
A central aim is a proposed “Delhi Declaration” that would spell out shared principles for how AI is built and used, alongside talks on safety and governance that have often been led by the US and China 25.
Sources
- AI must not be controlled by a few geographies: MeitY Secy S Krishnan | AI Summit exclusive [firstpost.com] (2026-02-16)
- India seeks a ‘Delhi Declaration’ on AI [ft.com] (2026-02-17)
- From OpenAI to Google, India hosts global AI summit [investing.com] (2026-02-17)
- India hosts a high-stakes AI summit, drawing 20 leaders and top tech CEOs [abcnews.go.com] (2026-02-16)
- The tech bros might show more humility in Delhi – but will they make AI any safer? [bbc.com] (2026-02-17)
Highlights
- Who showed up: Organisers are spotlighting the attendance of major AI companies such as OpenAI and Google, alongside government delegations, as India tries to get policymakers and industry leaders in the same room 34.
- Scrutiny and optics: BBC analysis says the Delhi gathering could nudge tech leaders to show more humility and restraint, as public and political pressure grows over AI harms and accountability 5.
- India’s framing: Indian officials are pitching the summit around ideas like “democratic AI” and broader strategic tech resilience—arguing that both the gains from AI and the rules that govern it should not sit with a small set of countries 1.
Perspectives
MeitY (India’s IT ministry): MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said AI “must not be controlled by a few geographies,” and laid out India’s focus on “democratic AI,” semiconductor scale-up, and strategic tech resilience.
UK media analysis: The BBC says the Delhi meeting may push tech leaders toward more humility, but it questions whether the event will produce concrete steps that make AI meaningfully safer.
Financial Times (policy focus): The Financial Times reports that India is seeking a “Delhi Declaration” on AI, signalling an attempt to formalise principles at the summit.
Historical Background
Global AI governance has increasingly moved through high-level summits as governments respond to rapid advances in generative AI since the public release of ChatGPT in 2022 [common]. These meetings often try to align on broad principles and voluntary commitments, while most enforceable rules still come through national or regional regulation [common]. India’s push for a “Delhi Declaration” fits this pattern: political declarations can signal a shared approach even when binding oversight remains fragmented 2[common].