Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on February 17, 2026, that technology exists to serve humanity, not replace it, with the end goal of ‘Welfare for All, Happiness of All’. In an interview, he stated that AI stands at a civilisational inflection point, capable of expanding human capability but also testing social foundations if unguided. He said India deliberately framed the India AI Impact Summit around impact ensuring meaningful and equitable outcomes, guided by “Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhaye”. The Summit is structured around People, Planet and Progress. Mr Modi said his vision for AI in Aatmanirbhar Bharat rests on three pillars: sovereignty, inclusivity, and innovation, aiming for India to be among the top three AI superpowers globally in creation, not just consumption. He said AI represents a transformative opportunity towards Viksit Bharat 2047, addressing developmental challenges and creating economic opportunities. As the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, India is amplifying under-represented voices. He noted that India’s Digital Public Infrastructure journey offers lessons for the Global South, and the convergence of DPI and AI is the next frontier. The Union Budget 2026-27 reinforces this vision by expanding support for data centres and cloud infrastructure.