New Delhi has turned into the global capital of artificial intelligence this week.
India is hosting the India AI Impact Summit, marking the first time a major global AI gathering of this scale is being held in the developing world. The event, which began on Monday, is expected to draw more than 250,000 delegates — from tech CEOs to world leaders — as the country positions itself as a serious player in the AI race.
Tech Titans & World Leaders in One Room
The summit has attracted some of the biggest names in global technology.
Among the key speakers are Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Demis Hassabis.
Indian business heavyweight Mukesh Ambani is also part of the lineup.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the summit as focused on “human-centric progress,” emphasizing AI’s role in welfare and inclusive growth. He is also scheduled to share the stage with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting India during the summit.
The venue, Bharat Mandapam — a $300 million mega convention complex — is hosting over 300 exhibitors across a 70,000-square-metre expo space.
India’s AI Strategy: Deployment Over Dominance
Unlike the U.S. and China, India has yet to produce a globally dominant frontier AI model. But policymakers are taking a different route.
Instead of chasing massive foundational models, India is betting on large-scale deployment and application-led innovation. The country’s recent Economic Survey urged the government to focus on real-world AI use cases rather than competing in mega-model development.
The numbers back that ambition. By late 2025, India reportedly became OpenAI’s largest user market, with over 72 million daily ChatGPT users.
At the same time, AI’s rapid growth is raising concerns. India’s $283 billion IT sector could face major disruption, with analysts predicting that call centres may see revenue declines of up to 50% by 2030 due to automation.
From Bletchley to Delhi
Previous AI summits — held at Bletchley Park, Seoul, and Paris — largely revolved around safety commitments and voluntary corporate pledges. Critics argued that those meetings produced more declarations than enforceable outcomes.
Delhi’s edition aims to broaden that conversation by amplifying voices from the Global South, especially developing economies seeking a larger role in AI governance.
AI Fever Hits Hotel Prices
The summit’s scale has had an immediate impact on the city.
Luxury hotel rates have skyrocketed as thousands of international delegates arrive. A suite at Taj Palace New Delhi, typically priced around $2,200 per night, was reportedly listed at over $33,000 during the summit week.
Anticipating heavy congestion, the Supreme Court of India even issued a circular allowing advocates to appear via video conferencing during the event.
Final Words
Hosting the first major AI summit in the developing world is a statement move for India.
While the country may not yet lead in frontier AI models, it is clearly aiming to lead in adoption, governance discussions, and real-world deployment. With global CEOs, heads of state, and hundreds of thousands of delegates in attendance, Delhi is making it clear: India wants a central seat at the AI table.
