The India AI Impact Summit 2026 concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, endorsed by 86 countries and 2 international organisations.
Held in New Delhi on 18-19 February, the summit marked a significant step in strengthening international cooperation on artificial intelligence.
The declaration, guided by the principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” (Welfare for all, Happiness for all), affirms that the benefits of AI must be equitably shared across humanity.
The framework emphasises strengthening international cooperation and multistakeholder engagement, respecting national sovereignty, and advancing AI through accessible and trustworthy systems.
Seven pillars of global cooperation
The declaration is structured around seven pillars forming the foundation of global AI cooperation:
- Democratizing AI Resources
- Economic Growth and Social Good
- Secure and Trusted AI
- AI for Science
- Access for Social Empowerment
- Human Capital Development
- Resilient, Efficient and Innovative AI Systems
Major global deliverables announced
The summit announced a series of voluntary and collaborative global initiatives across these pillars:
- Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI to promote affordable access to foundational AI resources and support locally relevant innovation ecosystems.
- Global AI Impact Commons to enable adoption, replication and scale-up of successful AI use cases across regions.
- Trusted AI Commons consolidating tools, benchmarks and best practices to support development of secure and trustworthy AI systems.
- International Network of AI for Science Institutions to facilitate global scientific collaboration and enhance AI-driven research capabilities.
- AI for Social Empowerment Platform to facilitate exchange of learning, knowledge and scalable practices for equitable AI adoption.
- AI Workforce Development Playbook and guiding principles for reskilling in the age of AI to support skilling, reskilling and AI literacy.
- Guiding Principles on Resilient, Innovative and Efficient Artificial Intelligence, supported by a Playbook on Advancing Resilient AI Infrastructure, with focus on energy-efficient AI systems.
The declaration highlights the role of AI in driving economic transformation, the importance of open-source and accessible AI ecosystems, the need for energy-efficient AI infrastructure, and the expanding role of AI in science, governance and public service delivery.
Participants reaffirmed commitment to advancing shared global priorities in AI governance through voluntary and non-binding frameworks and continued international cooperation.
