AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi: Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday inaugurated the WAVES Creators Corner during the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Vaishnaw emphasized the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in creative content and encouraged people to be mindful of how AI is used.
“AI is being used very effectively in the world of creative content. The way startups and companies are showcasing their use of technology here is impressive. In particular, you should definitely check out Kuku’s platform. It has immense potential,” Vaishnaw said.
Earlier, Vaishnaw mentioned that India is expected to add another 20,000 GPUs, bringing the total capacity to over 38,000 GPUs, aiming to strengthen the country’s AI compute infrastructure. A GPU, or Graphics Processing Unit, is a powerful computer chip that helps machines process tasks faster, handle images, run AI programs, and perform complex computations more efficiently than a regular processor.
Under the IndiaAI Mission, more than 38,000 high-end GPUs have been onboarded and are available at about Rs 65 per hour, roughly one-third of the global average cost.
Speaking to reporters, Vaishnaw said the next phase of India’s AI strategy will focus on design, research, and development, moving beyond foundational infrastructure to building solutions tailored to India’s specific needs. He also indicated that AI-related investments at the Summit are likely to exceed USD 200 billion, including USD 90 billion already committed. The government is in talks with several large companies about further AI infrastructure investments, though names cannot yet be disclosed.
He highlighted that AI awareness initiatives are already being implemented in schools across both rural and urban areas, incorporating India’s cultural context and regional languages in AI development. On the regulatory front, Vaishnaw noted that a broad consensus is emerging among global leaders on a techno-legal approach to AI governance. India is currently collaborating with around 30 countries on technology and policy development in artificial intelligence.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, also launched two pioneering digital health initiatives — SAHI (Secure AI for Health Initiative) and BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI) — during the Summit. The launch marks a significant milestone in advancing safe, ethical, and evidence-based deployment of AI in India’s healthcare ecosystem.
Describing the Summit as both timely and necessary, Nadda said that AI has the “fundamental power” to transform every aspect of the economy, with healthcare at its core. “AI today is no longer a futuristic idea; it has the fundamental power to transform every aspect of our economy. Healthcare is at the very heart of this transformation. AI does not operate in isolation but thrives on strong digital infrastructure and high-quality data,” he said.
The Summit positions India as a convenor and partner in global AI cooperation, supporting shared standards, collaborative frameworks, and scalable solutions for public good. It signifies a transition from dialogue to delivery, reinforcing India’s commitment to responsible, inclusive, and development-focused AI pathways.
