India AI Impact Summit 2026 – Day 1: Global Leaders, Big Signals, and India’s AI Roadmap

Day 1 of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 opened at Bharat Mandapam with a clear message: artificial intelligence is now central to national strategy, economic competitiveness, and global cooperation.

From heads of state to CEOs of the world’s most influential AI companies, the opening day focused on governance, infrastructure, and scaling AI responsibly.

Here’s what happened.

Key Takeaways from Day 1

Day 1 of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 was defined by scale, policy focus, and global alignment.

Here are the biggest signals from the opening day:

• AI is now central to national strategy. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the opening address, AI was positioned not as a niche technology, but as core infrastructure for governance and economic growth.

• Global AI labs are engaging directly with policymakers. The presence of Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai, and Dario Amodei signaled active dialogue between frontier model developers and governments.

• Enterprise deployment is no longer experimental. Leaders from Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and HCLTech focused on scaling AI inside large organizations, not pilot projects.

• The expo floor reinforced real-world application. With 800+ exhibitors at the India AI Impact Expo inside Bharat Mandapam, the emphasis was on deployed solutions across agriculture, healthcare, finance, and climate tech.

• International collaboration was a recurring theme. Participation from global leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva underscored the summit’s cross-border focus.

Day 1 did not revolve around a single product launch. It revolved around positioning, governance, and long-term direction.

Opening Address: India’s AI Vision Takes Center Stage

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed delegates, emphasizing India’s commitment to responsible AI development and inclusive digital growth.

The keynote highlighted:

• Expansion of AI in public services

• Strengthening India’s digital public infrastructure

• Balancing innovation with regulatory safeguards

• Positioning India as a global AI collaborator

The opening set a policy-forward tone, reinforcing that India’s AI strategy is tied closely to governance and national development goals.

Global AI CEOs Share the Stage

Day 1 featured participation and remarks from leading global AI executives, including:

• Sam Altman of OpenAI

• Sundar Pichai of Google

• Dario Amodei of Anthropic

Discussions centered around:

• Scaling generative AI responsibly

• AI safety and model governance

• AI infrastructure requirements

• Collaboration between governments and private AI labs

The presence of multiple frontier model leaders in one forum made Day 1 one of the most high-profile AI policy discussions held in India to date.

Enterprise Leaders on AI Deployment at Scale

Indian enterprise leaders also took part in early sessions, including representatives from:

• Tata Consultancy Services

• Infosys

• HCLTech

Conversations focused on:

• Enterprise AI integration

• AI-driven productivity gains

• Responsible deployment frameworks

• Talent development and upskilling

Unlike purely research-driven summits, Day 1 leaned heavily into real-world implementation and enterprise readiness.

India AI Impact Expo Opens Alongside the Summit

The parallel India AI Impact Expo officially opened, featuring 800+ exhibitors and participation from over 600 startups.

Startups making notable appearances included:

• Emergent

• Soket AI

• Gnani AI

• Wysa

• Intello Labs

• Sarvam AI

The expo floor showcased AI applications across agriculture, healthcare, climate, financial services, and enterprise automation.

This combination of policy dialogue and live product demonstrations defined the structure of Day 1.

Conclusion

The opening day of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 established the tone for the week ahead: AI is no longer a future-facing concept in India’s policy and enterprise circles. It is present, prioritized, and actively being shaped at the highest levels.

With global AI CEOs, heads of state, and India’s largest enterprise leaders sharing one stage at Bharat Mandapam, the message was clear. The conversation has moved from experimentation to execution, and from isolated innovation to coordinated global dialogue.

As the summit progresses into industry tracks, technical sessions, and deeper sector discussions, the focus will shift from high-level vision to specific announcements and measurable commitments.

We will continue covering each day with verified updates and confirmed developments as they unfold.