NEW DELHI , Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday signaled India’s intent to dominate the global technological landscape, inaugurating the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam. The five-day summit, running through February 20, serves as a high-stakes platform for the Indian government to pitch the nation as the primary destination for global data residency and artificial intelligence innovation.
Addressing an audience of world leaders, industry captains, and researchers, the Prime Minister framed India’s AI trajectory as a balance between “ambition and responsibility.” Under the theme “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya” (Welfare for all, Happiness for all), the administration is seeking to move beyond theoretical tech discourse into the practical integration of AI across critical sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance.
For the global business sector, the most significant takeaway from the summit is the strategic alignment of fiscal policy with technological goals. Modi highlighted specific tax incentives introduced in the latest Budget, designed to lower the barriers to entry for advanced facility construction.
“The tax incentives are designed to accelerate investment in this space, lower the cost of building advanced facilities, and position India as a globally-competitive destination for data infrastructure,” Modi stated in a recent interview. His message to the international community was unequivocal: “We invite the whole world’s data to reside in India!”
This aggressive push for data localization and infrastructure development comes at a time when global tech firms are seeking stable, scalable alternatives to traditional hubs. India’s pitch relies heavily on its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and a burgeoning startup ecosystem, supported by a population of 1.4 billion people that provides a massive, diverse dataset for machine learning and AI refinement.
However, the ambitious nature of these announcements invites scrutiny regarding the gap between high-level policy vision and ground-level execution. Analysts note that while the rhetoric is compelling, the success of India’s AI revolution will depend on the seamless rollout of the promised infrastructure. This tension mirrors challenges seen in other emerging markets, where grand “continental dreams” often face the friction of local economic realities, a theme explored in recent critiques of large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the perceived disconnect between visionary rhetoric and urban reality in Nairobi (see: The $3 Trillion Mirage).
The Prime Minister remains confident that India’s framework of “responsible AI” will mitigate the risks associated with the technology while maximizing economic output. By positioning India as a “global hub,” the government aims to lead the next wave of the industrial revolution, shifting the nation from a service-oriented economy to a core technological provider.
As the India AI Impact Summit continues, the focus will remain on the specific bilateral agreements and private-sector commitments that emerge. For global investors, the incentive is clear: India is no longer just a consumer of technology, but a primary architect of the infrastructure that will house the world’s most valuable asset, data.