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AI Impact Summit 2026: India Leads Global AI Governance

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From Action to Impact – A Curtain Raiser to the AI Impact Summit 2026

United Nations, New York, December 19, 2025

On December 16, 2025, the United Nations Headquarters in New York hosted a high-level event titled “From Action to Impact,” jointly organized by India and France. The event served as the official curtain raiser for the upcoming AI Impact Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on February 19–20, 2026.

India’s Leadership in Global AI Governance

Representing India, Mr. Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology, addressed the gathering. He emphasized that the accurate measure of AI’s success lies not in the number of policy documents produced but in “the lives it improves.”

Key points from his address:

  • Global South at the forefront: With the majority of future AI users in emerging economies, India highlighted the importance of inclusive participation.
  • Responsible innovation: AI must be developed with safety, ethics, and sustainability at its core.
  • Invitation to collaborate: Governments, industry leaders, researchers, civil society, and international organizations were invited to join the summit in New Delhi.

India–France Partnership

The curtain raiser showcased the strong collaboration between India and France in shaping global AI governance. French representatives, including H.E. Jérôme Bonnafont (Permanent Representative of France to the UN) and Clara Chappaz (Ambassador for AI and Digital), joined Mr. Prasada in underlining the need for multilateral cooperation.

Eminent Attendees

  • H.E. Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of the French Republic
  • Ms. Clara Chappaz, Ambassador for AI and Digital, Govt. of the French Republic
  • Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology
  • Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • Mr. Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director General for Communication and Information, UNESCO
  • Ms. Nur Sulyna Abdullah, Chief of Strategic Planning & Membership, and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
  • Mr. Yacine Jernite, Head of Machine Learning & Society at Hugging Face, Inc., and other distinguished guests also participated in the session.

AI Impact Summit 2026 – What’s Ahead

  • Dates & Venue: February 19–20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
  • First AI Summit in the Global South: Following summits in the UK, Seoul, and Paris, this marks a historic milestone.
  • Themes: Safe AI, inclusion, sustainability, human capital, and AI for People, Planet, and Progress.
  • Global participation: Expected attendance from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, heads of state, industry leaders, and researchers.
  • Innovation showcase: Women-led teams, youth innovators, and global pilots will demonstrate AI’s real-world impact.
  • Policy outcomes: India will release AI governance guidelines and host hackathons to highlight practical applications.

Why This Matters

The curtain raiser event signaled a shift from aspiration to impact, positioning India as a bridge between developed and emerging economies in the AI discourse. Hosting the summit in New Delhi, India, ensures that the voices of the Global South shape the future of AI governance.

Closing Note

The “From Action to Impact” event was more than a curtain raiser—it was a call to action. As the world prepares for the AI Impact Summit 2026, India has set the tone for a future in which AI is not just about technology but about transforming lives, fostering inclusion, and driving sustainable progress.

The editor of CitiTimes, who has professional AI credentials from IBM, has been invited to participate in the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.