India’s AI Impact Summit Draws Global Commitment, Highlights Infrastructure Hurdles
Updated (3 articles)
Global participation and 89‑nation declaration underscore AI enthusiasm The AI Impact Summit ran in New Delhi from February 17‑23, drawing delegates from 89 countries that signed a voluntary AI democratization declaration [1]. Attendance reflected “massive Indian enthusiasm” among a digitally connected populace, positioning India as the world’s largest AI user base outside the United States [1]. Organizers highlighted the summit’s role in continuing a series of multilateral AI talks, aiming to close the “inference gap” for the Global South [1].
India’s “Third Way” governance model differentiates from EU, US, China India presented a “Third Way” framework that blends adoption, diffusion, diplomacy, and capacity‑building, distinct from the EU’s compliance‑heavy regime, the US hands‑off stance, and China’s centralized model [3]. The November 2025 guidelines, authored by officials such as Amlan Mohanty, focus on inclusive development in healthcare, agriculture, education, and public administration [3]. An amendment to the IT Rules on February 10 requires platforms to label AI‑generated content and remove harmful material within three hours, marking the first mandatory disclosure in India [3].
Infrastructure, cost, and foreign‑owned capital impede AI rollout Summit analysts warned that rising GPU prices, limited electrical capacity, and dependence on foreign‑owned capital threaten large‑scale AI deployment despite expanding domestic data‑centre capacity [1]. Critics argue India’s strategy leans toward model inference rather than training or fine‑tuning, risking a widening digital divide [1]. The declaration urged India to accelerate infrastructure investment to avoid an “inference gap” and ensure AI remains a net positive [1].
India abstains from REAIM, advocates non‑binding military AI safeguards On February 18, India chose not to sign the REAIM “Pathways to Action” declaration, joining the United States and China in abstention while only 35 of 85 nations signed [2]. The government promotes a flexible, accountability‑based framework that bans AI‑augmented autonomous decision‑making for nuclear forces and calls for voluntary confidence‑building data exchanges [2]. India labels a legally binding LAWS instrument as “premature,” emphasizing the need for immediate loose guardrails amid rapid AI advances [2].
Sources
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1.
The Hindu: India’s AI Impact Summit Highlights Enthusiasm and Strategic Challenges: Reports on February 23 summit, noting 89‑nation declaration, infrastructure hurdles, and criticism of India’s alignment with U.S. hands‑off policy .
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2.
The Hindu: India’s Push for a Non‑Binding Military AI Framework After REAIM Abstention: Details India’s abstention from REAIM, its preference for a non‑binding accountability model, and proposed safeguards for military AI .
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3.
The Hindu: India Positions “Third Way” AI Governance at Delhi Summit: Describes the “Third Way” proposal, November 2025 guidelines, February 10 labeling amendment, and emphasis on strategic autonomy for the Global South .
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Timeline
2024 – India declines to sign the 2024 Blueprint for Action on military AI, calling a legally‑binding LAWS instrument “premature” and preferring a flexible, non‑binding, accountability‑based approach [3].
2025 (early) – The UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’ Group of Governmental Experts meets twice but issues no recommendations, leaving lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) undefined and unregulated [3].
Nov 2025 – India unveils its “Third Way” AI governance guidelines, emphasizing adoption, diffusion, diplomacy and capacity‑building to scale AI for inclusive development in health, agriculture, education and public administration while staying agile for future evolution [2].
Feb 10, 2026 – The government amends the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, mandating platforms to label AI‑generated content and to remove harmful material within three hours, the first such disclosure requirement [2].
Early Feb 2026 – India abstains from the REAIM “Pathways to Action” declaration at the third Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain summit, joining the US and China as only 35 of 85 countries sign [3].
Mid‑Feb 2026 – The AI Impact Summit convenes in New Delhi, bringing together world leaders and tech experts to discuss AI innovation and governance while India promotes its “Third Way” model as an alternative to EU, US and China regimes [2].
Mid‑Feb 2026 – Massive Indian enthusiasm is evident as thousands of digitally connected citizens attend the summit, underscoring India’s status as the largest AI user base outside the United States [1].
Mid‑Feb 2026 – Eighty‑nine nations sign a voluntary AI democratization declaration at the summit, committing to share knowledge and close the inference gap to prevent a digital divide [1].
Mid‑Feb 2026 – India confronts infrastructure and cost hurdles for AI deployment, with rising GPU prices, foreign‑owned capital and limited electrical capacity challenging a strategy focused on model deployment over training and fine‑tuning [1].
Feb 2026 – Feb 2027 (next 12 months) – India’s “Third Way” framework is tested, aiming to balance innovation, security and welfare through public‑private partnerships and capacity‑building, while gaps such as insufficient worker protection risk undermining the intended stability [2].