Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the India AI Summit 2026, stated that food systems worldwide are under pressure due to climate variability, declining water tables, worsening soil health, fragile supply chains, and uncertain global markets. He highlighted that for Global South countries, agriculture is a foundation of livelihood, social stability, and national security, and that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has prioritised digital public infrastructure and responsible artificial intelligence in national development. Fadnavis explained that the India AI Mission seeks to leverage technology to promote inclusion, transparency, and scale, focusing on agriculture, noting that over half a billion Indians depend on farming either directly or indirectly. He pointed out that smallholders face challenges such as fragmented information, rising input costs, climate unpredictability, and limited access to credit and markets. Fadnavis claimed artificial intelligence can revolutionise the sector by providing hyper-local weather forecasts, early warnings of pest outbreaks, precision irrigation and fertiliser advice, crop-based credit assessments, transparent supply chains, and real-time market updates.