India and France Unveil ‘AI Impact Summit’ at UN Headquarters

New York/New Delhi: In a landmark diplomatic collaboration, the Permanent Missions of India and France to the United Nations hosted a high-level curtain-raiser for the upcoming ‘AI Impact Summit’ at the UN Headquarters in New York. This event serves as a precursor to the global summit scheduled to take place in New Delhi on February 19-20, 2026.

The joint initiative underscores the deepening digital partnership between India and France, while also highlighting France’s steadfast support for India’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council (UNSC). The event featured Jitin Prasada, India’s Minister of State for Electronics and IT, and Clara Chappaz, France’s Ambassador for Digital and AI Affairs, as the keynote speakers.

From Action to Impact Under the theme “From Action to Impact,” the New Delhi summit aims to shift the global AI discourse from theoretical frameworks to tangible results. Minister Jitin Prasada emphasized that the success of the summit should be measured by how many lives it improves rather than the number of declarations it produces. He engaged with representatives from the UNDP, UNESCO, and ITU to discuss aligning AI governance with sustainable development and capacity building for developing nations.

A Historic First for the Global South This marks the first time a global AI summit of this scale is being hosted in the Global South, following previous editions in Bletchley Park (UK), Seoul, and Paris. The summit will revolve around three core pillars: People, Planet, and Prosperity.

A significant highlight of the upcoming New Delhi event is the confirmed participation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a special guest. By bringing together governments, researchers, and civil society, India aims to ensure that AI technology is inclusive from its inception, serving the collective good of humanity while addressing the unique concerns of the Global South.

(Report by Saswat Tiwari)