New Delhi, Feb 19 (UNI) Declaring India ready to shape the global future of artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that “any AI model that succeeds in India can be deployed anywhere in the world,” positioning the country as a proving ground for inclusive and scalable AI innovation.
Addressing the inaugural session of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Modi laid out an ambitious vision to democratize artificial intelligence while ensuring it remains secure, ethical and accessible.
“Some people fear AI, some see the future in it. India sees the future in AI,” the Prime Minister said in his keynote speech, as New Delhi took the global spotlight for the high-voltage summit. “Any AI model that succeeds in India can be deployed anywhere in the world.”
Pitching India as both a development hub and a global partner, Modi called for strengthening the entire AI value chain, from semiconductors to quantum computing.
“India, from semiconductor to chip to quantum computing, is getting stronger in all,” he said. “So, let’s make India affordable and securable in AI. The AI designed and developed in India can be an example for the world—designed and developed in India, delivered to the world, delivered to humanity.”
The Prime Minister stressed that India’s diversity and scale make it an ideal testing ground for robust AI systems. “If it works in India, it can work anywhere,” he remarked, underscoring the country’s linguistic, cultural and socio-economic complexities.
At the heart of Modi’s address was a strong push for the democratization of AI. “AI has to be democratized so that humans don’t just become a data point for AI or remain a raw material for AI,” he said. “To ensure that humans don’t become a data point or raw material, we have to democratize AI.”
He added that AI must become “a tool for inclusion and empowerment, particularly for the Global South,” arguing that the technology’s benefits should not remain concentrated in a few nations or corporations.
“We believe AI can benefit only when it can be shared. We should make a resolve to develop AI as a global common good,” Modi said.
Calling welfare and happiness the ultimate benchmark, he added: “Welfare and happiness of all is our benchmark for AI.”
Even as he advocated an “open sky” for innovation, Modi cautioned against unchecked use. “We have to give an open sky to AI, but at the same time we have to keep the reins in our hands,” he said.
Highlighting concerns around misinformation, the Prime Minister warned that “deepfakes and fabricated content bring instability to open societies.” To address this, he pitched the idea of authenticity labels for AI-generated content, drawing a parallel with nutrition labels on food packets.
“We have to dream big but also be responsible in AI,” he said, urging global cooperation to establish guardrails that promote trust without stifling innovation.
Modi also unveiled the government’s ‘MANAV Vision’ framework for AI governance, which he said would encompass moral and ethical systems, accountable governance and national sovereignty.
The framework aims to ensure that AI development aligns with democratic values while safeguarding data and strategic interests.
As global leaders, technology experts and policymakers gathered in the capital, the Prime Minister’s address set the tone for India’s aspiration to lead not just in AI innovation but in shaping its ethical and inclusive evolution.
“Some may fear AI. Some may leave it to luck,” Modi said in closing. “For India, AI is both an opportunity and a responsibility. Let us shape it for humanity.” UNI SKA AAB