India's Artificial Intelligence sector is experiencing a surge in investment, with nearly $70 billion already committed to AI infrastructure, according to Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, January 30, 2026, ahead of the IndiaAI Impact Summit, Vaishnaw expressed optimism that this figure could double by the summit's conclusion.

The IndiaAI Impact Summit, scheduled to be held from February 16-20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, marks the first time this summit series is being hosted in the Global South. The summit aims to shift the focus from AI safety to its impact on humanity, inclusive growth, and a sustainable future. The event anticipates participation from over 100 countries, with confirmations from 15 heads of state and government, over 40 ministers, more than 100 leading CEOs and CXOs, and over 100 academics. Industry partners including Jio, Qualcomm, OpenAI, Nvidia, Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and the Gates Foundation are expected to be present.

The summit week will feature over 500 curated events at Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, facilitating leader-level dialogues, exhibitions, and outcome-oriented sessions. The AI Impact Expo will host over 840 exhibitors, including Country Pavilions, Ministries, State Governments, Industry, Startups, and Research Institutions, showcasing AI solutions with real-world impact.

Vaishnaw highlighted the government's commitment to scaling up AI talent development by extending industry-approved curricula and infrastructure to 500 universities. This initiative aims to create a strong talent pipeline for the rapidly growing AI sector. The minister noted India's IT sector is rapidly evolving to embrace AI, shifting from traditional software services.

The government is also preparing to launch "AI Mission 2.0" following the initial $70 billion investment in computing infrastructure. This next phase will focus on democratizing access to AI across the country. The second edition of the mission is expected to roll out within the next five to six months. The Cabinet approved the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024 with a budget of ₹10,371.92 crore over five years. Since its launch, the mission has expanded India's computing capacity from 10,000 GPUs to 38,000 GPUs.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT expects to launch indigenously developed AI models during the summit. Vaishnaw said the models are in very good shape and should be launching at the AI Impact Summit. Leading IT companies have developed more than 200 focused, sector-specific AI models, which are proposed to be launched during the AI Impact Summit.

Ministry of Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan emphasized the central objective of the India AI Impact Summit is to advance the democratization of technology, particularly AI, to ensure its benefits reach a wide cross-section of society.

Vaishnaw also launched a compendium featuring reflections from around 60 industry experts on the future of AI and its role in driving inclusive growth, innovation, and societal impact, titled 'The Impact Agenda: Leadership Reflections'.