🤖 India AI Impact Summit 2026

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (Feb 16-20, 2026), bringing together global technology leaders and policymakers. During his inaugural address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a nuanced, human-centric approach to AI, encapsulated in the acronym M.A.N.A.V.

M.A.N.A.V. Core AI Vision
₹10,300 Cr IndiaAI Mission Outlay
2.5 Lakh+ AI Pledges (World Record)

🧠 The 5 Pillars of M.A.N.A.V.

The M.A.N.A.V. framework presents a roadmap where technological advancement progresses in harmony with societal values, ethics, and dignity.

M - Moral & Ethical Systems
AI must be rooted in fairness, transparency, and human oversight. Integrated early through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
A - Accountable Governance
Anchored by the IndiaAI Mission, it institutionalizes standards for responsible AI development, transparent rules, and robust oversight.
N - National Sovereignty
Securing critical datasets, strengthening domestic compute capacity (GPUs/TPUs), and fostering indigenous AI models via the India Semiconductor Mission.
A - Accessible & Inclusive AI
Democratizing AI using Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Initiatives include MeghRaj GI Cloud, IndiaAI Compute Portal, and IndiaAI Kosh.
V - Valid & Legitimate Systems
Ensuring AI is verifiable, lawful, and safe from risks like deepfakes, reinforced by the IT Amendment Rules, 2026.

🏆 Global Benchmark & Concrete Actions

India is transforming ethical AI from a policy principle into a collective national commitment.

  • Guinness World Record: India set a global benchmark by receiving 250,946 pledges for an AI responsibility campaign within 24 hours during the summit.
  • Data & Infrastructure: The IndiaAI Kosh provides essential datasets, while the National Supercomputing Mission strengthens high-performance computing nationwide.
  • Regulating Synthetic Media: The IT Amendment Rules, 2026 formally define and regulate synthetically generated content (deepfakes) to protect democratic discourse.

📚 Prelims Quiz Corner

1. At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, PM Modi introduced the acronym M.A.N.A.V. What does the letter 'N' stand for?
  • A) Neutral Algorithms
  • B) National Sovereignty
  • C) Natural Language
  • D) Network Security
Answer: B
2. Which initiative provides datasets and AI models across sectors to democratize access for startups and researchers in India?
  • A) MeghRaj GI Cloud
  • B) India Semiconductor Mission
  • C) IndiaAI Kosh
  • D) Bhashini
Answer: C
Source Information: PIB Release ID: 2230282 (Feb 19, 2026) Link to Original Press Release PIB Headquarters
PM Modi’s M.A.N.A.V. Vision: Human-Centric AI at India AI Impact Summit 2026 - Image 1