Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, stressing the need to democratise AI as a tool for inclusion and empowerment, particularly for the Global South. He called for developing a collective resolve of AI for the Global Common Good, stating that India sees AI as an opportunity and the blueprint of tomorrow. Modi said India not only develops new technology but also adopts it rapidly, and is the centre of the world’s largest tech pool. He outlined the M.A.N.A.V. vision for AI, which includes Moral and Ethical Systems, Accountable Governance, National Sovereignty, Accessible and Inclusive, and Valid and Legitimate. Drawing parallels with nuclear power, he noted humanity has witnessed both destructive potential and positive contributions, asserting that AI with the right direction becomes a solution. Modi stated that AI must be given an open sky while command remains in human hands, and that AI will benefit the world only when shared, with open code allowing millions of young minds to make it better and safer. He highlighted the urgent need for global standards, noting that deepfakes and fabricated content are destabilising open societies, and proposed that digital content carry authenticity labels, similar to nutrition labels on food, to distinguish real from AI-generated material.