Why the AI Impact Summit matters geopolitically

For a full week from 16-21 February, Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi became the global venue for high-level interactions on technology, business, politics and diplomacy, as India hosted the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact Summit. It was the fourth in a series that started in the UK in 2023. The second and third summits were held in Seoul and Paris, respectively. The next edition will be convened in Switzerland in 2027.

The summit’s technological, economic, and business facets have been analysed through a tsunami of articles, interviews, editorials, and expert commentary. Its geopolitical significance and implications also need to be assessed carefully, considering two basic facts: the summit took place at a time of extraordinary turbulence and tensions in international affairs, and this was the first time that an AI summit was being held in a Global South nation against the broad backdrop of about 70% of AI space already controlled by the US and China alone. The raging debate on innovation favoured by the US versus regulation pushed by Europe, too, lent it additional importance.

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The summit’s vitals

The fundamental goal of the Delhi summit, according to the organisers, was to chart a path towards a future “where the transformative power of AI serves humanity, drives inclusive growth, fosters development, and promotes people-centric innovations that protect our planet.” It also aimed to amplify the voice of the Global South, ensuring that technological advancements and approaches are shared broadly rather than concentrated in a few regions. Dialogue at the summit thus centred on seven key themes: human capital, inclusion, trust, resilience, science, resources, and social good.

The summit’s philosophy reverberated globally. This was reflected in the impressive participation from India and the world. The story can be captured briefly in official numbers: 118 countries participated with government representatives; 20 at the head-of-government level; 59 ministerial-level representations; over 100 AI leaders, CEOs, and CXOs; 500 leading AI experts; 500+ side events during and leading up to the summit; and over 300,000 registrations.

Speaking at the formal inauguration ceremony on 19 February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented India’s vision of an ethical, sovereign, inclusive, and globally oriented AI. He highlighted the needs and concerns of Global South nations and outlined India’s role as a central player in the global AI ecosystem. He also stressed the need for child safety, greater democratisation, wider access, and more transparent processes governing AI. The heads of state and government who followed broadly shared these perspectives, while also putting forward their specific concerns and suggestions.

Consequently, and based on input from multiple other discussions, the summit issued the Delhi Declaration. Eighty-eight nations and international organisations have signed this. Its key elements include the following.

AI’s advent marks an inflection point in the evolution of technology, and the choices made today will shape the AI-enabled world of the future. This calls for further international cooperation and the engagement of stakeholders along the seven pillars, anchored in the development of human capital. Robust digital infrastructure and connectivity will unlock AI’s full potential. In this context, the Global AI Impact Commons was accepted as a voluntary initiative. Secure and trusted AI is essential for maximising societal and economic benefits. Further, removing structural barriers to AI research will promote its use in research and development. Besides access to social empowerment, the need to improve human capital and the recognition of resilience, innovation, and efficiency were emphasised. The concluding point concerned “translating these aspirations into concrete actions.”

The declaration carries no legal weight, but its acceptance by a wide section of the international community carries considerable political and diplomatic significance.

Global presence: Five features

Regarding the global presence at the AI summit, five features were noteworthy.

One, European representation was strong. The following 11 European countries participated at the level of head of government: Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Liechtenstein, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In all, 26 European nations were officially represented, making it, as an observer put it, “the largest European delegation to any technology-centric event in India.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit, timed with the summit, added a special edge to Europe’s visibility in India at this juncture.

Two, Global South participation was highlighted by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who came to India on a state visit. In addition to him, heads of government from Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Seychelles, and the UAE, and ministers from various other nations were present to push their common agenda.

Three, India’s neighbours were represented by the Prime Minister of Bhutan, the President of Sri Lanka, and ministerial and official delegations from other countries.

Four, the US was represented by Michael Kratsios, Director at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Pointing out that America is “the birthplace of AI,” he conveyed the US’s willingness to share the American AI stack. “America is the only AI superpower,” he said, “willing and able to truly empower partner nations in your pursuit of AI sovereignty”. Chen Jiachang, Vice Minister at China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, led the Chinese delegation, which reportedly kept a low profile at the summit.

Five, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered meaningful remarks, suggesting that the world needed “guardrails” for AI that preserve human agency, oversight, and accountability. He stressed the need for a $3 billion global AI Fund to make the benefits of AI accessible to all. He also emphasised that as AI’s energy and water demands soar, data centres and supply chains must switch to clean power. The number of data centres has increased from 500,000 in 2012 to 8 million today. According to a 2025 UN report, AI’s escalating needs will sustain this rapid growth going forward.

Conclusion

The AI summit reminded many observers of the G20 summit hosted by India in September 2023 — and not just because of the common venue. The G20 is a larger, older forum that addresses a much broader range of issues affecting global economics and diplomacy. India’s G20 presidency was rated as successful. However, barely two years thereafter, the G20 stands marked by public disunity as South Africa’s presidency in 2024-25 led to its virtual expansion by the current US president. In contrast, the AI summit is a newer forum, devoted to a narrow but well-defined subject with immense long-term impact. Should the international community work in the spirit of unity and cooperation, it certainly can achieve more. However, many fault lines exist. A main apprehension is that the escalating strategic rivalry between the US and China could adversely affect the AI domain.

As the host and chair of the fourth AI summit, India has done what was both essential and desirable. Now, business and technology companies need to turn their declared intentions to invest massively in AI infrastructure, research, skilling, and reskilling into reality. Governments, too, must adhere to the Delhi Declaration and tailor their policies accordingly. The arduous work begins now.

(Rajiv Bhatia is a Distinguished Fellow at Gateway House, Mumbai, and a former Indian High Commissioner to Kenya and South Africa, and Ambassador to Myanmar and Mexico. He is the author of three books on Indian foreign policy and a regular columnist on geopolitical affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.)