The AI Impact Summit is the fourth in the series of AI Global Summits. India hosted this summit in New Delhi on February 19–20, 2026. The summit focused on three core pillars—People, Planet, and Progress—which defined its three major objectives:
1. People: The primary objective of AI should be to serve individuals, respecting diversity, upholding dignity, and fostering a spirit of inclusivity.
2. Planet: AI development should be undertaken with due regard for environmental care and sustainability.
3. Progress: The benefits of AI should be shared equitably, fostering development and prosperity worldwide.
Delhi Declaration:
Ninety-two countries/ international organizations, including the USA and China, signed the Delhi Declaration at the conclusion of the summit. It was signed
The key points of the declaration are as follows:
1. The summit was inspired by the ancient Indian principle of ‘Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’ (welfare and happiness for all). This principle posits that the use of AI is meaningful only when its benefits reach all of humanity.
2. The summit called for international cooperation across seven identified key areas of AI, referred to as the ‘Sapt Chakra’ (Seven Cycles):
1. AI for social and economic development;
2. Human resource development;
3. Inclusivity for social empowerment;
4. Safe and trustworthy AI;
5. Advancement of AI science;
6. Innovation and efficiency; and
7. Democratization of AI resources (access for all).
3. The declaration pledged to democratize AI resources to enhance universal access to them. Doing so will be essential for all nations to develop, adopt, and implement AI for the benefit of their citizens. During the summit, a charter for the democratic dissemination of AI was also adopted.The core message was ‘AI for All’.
Other highlights of the Delhi Declaration include: the adoption of a distinct initiative named the ‘Global AI Impact Commons’; the pursuit of safe, trustworthy, and robust AI; the fostering of innovation; and the utilization of AI for social empowerment and human resource development.
Why did all countries, including the US, sign the Delhi Declaration?
Since all elements of the declaration were based on a voluntary and non-binding framework, all participating nations—including the US—signed it. The Delhi Declaration imposes no binding commitments on the signatories; its provisions are voluntary.
In contrast, the US did not sign the declaration from the AI Action Summit (2025) because its proposals were binding. The US was unwilling to assume mandatory obligations regarding the democratization of AI for other nations. The AI Action Summit was jointly organized by India and France in Paris in February 2025.
Essentially, the US adopts a market-driven approach to AI development and usage, opposing any restrictions thereon. Consequently, the US refrains from signing documents that entail binding commitments or regulations concerning AI development and use. Conversely, India, France, Germany, the UK, and several other nations advocate for global regulation of AI development and usage to ensure safety and prevent misuse.
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AI Impact Summit: Background:
The AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi is the fourth in this series of global summits. The first AI summit was held at Bletchley in London, UK, in November 2023. The Bletchley Declaration, signed at the conclusion of this summit, urged that AI be designed, developed, and used safely. The summit focused on safety concerns regarding the use of AI. Twenty-eight countries, including India, signed the declaration.
The second AI summit was held in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, in May 2024. At the Seoul AI summit, a pledge was made to establish a network of AI safety institutes and to secure voluntary commitments from major AI companies regarding risk management in AI usage.
The third AI summit, known as the AI Action Summit, was held in Paris on February 10–11, 2025. The Prime Minister of India co-chaired the summit alongside the President of France. The primary objective of the summit was to establish scientific foundations, solutions, and standards for the more sustainable and ethical development of artificial intelligence. A commitment was made to work towards collective progress and the public interest. However, the United States did not sign the final declaration of the AI Action Summit, as it does not wish to impose restrictions on the use and development of AI.
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