1. India AI Impact Summit 2026: Positioning the Global South in the AI Race

Summary of Key Highlights • Global Leadership & Hosting: Organized by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), the India AI Impact Summit 2026 (New Delhi) is the fourth in a series of global summits, following Bletchley Park (UK), Seoul (South Korea), and Paris (France). • The Three Sutras: The summit is anchored on the foundational pillars of People, Planet, and Progress, aiming to move from political statements to tangible impacts in AI cooperation. • India’s AI Stack as DPI: A central theme is the promotion of India’s AI Stack—including sovereign compute and datasets—as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the world, particularly for the Global South. • Strategic Consensus: The event seeks to build a global doctrine on the use of AI in public services, defense, and cyber security, while showcasing domestic startups funded under the IndiaAI Mission. • Addressing the \'Model Gap\': While India ranks 3rd globally in AI vibrancy (Stanford Index), the summit acknowledges the need to bridge the gap in developing foundational models (like GPT or Claude) compared to the US and China. • Diplomatic Weight: Attendance includes heads of state (e.g., Emmanuel Macron) and top tech CEOs (Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman), mirroring the scale of the 2023 G20 Summit. Key Definitions • Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Foundational digital systems (like Aadhaar or UPI) that are interoperable, open-standard, and designed to provide essential services at a population scale. • Foundational Models: Large-scale AI models (e.g., LLMs) trained on vast datasets that can be adapted to a wide range of downstream tasks. • IndiaAI Mission: A national program with an outlay of over ₹10,300 crore aimed at building a comprehensive AI ecosystem, including a 10,000+ GPU compute capacity. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Article 51 (Directive Principles): Promotion of international peace and security; India’s participation in global AI governance aligns with fostering \'just and honorable relations between nations.\' • Information Technology Act, 2000: The primary legal framework currently governing cyber space and digital data, though specific AI-centric legislation is under deliberation. • Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023: Provides the legal basis for data processing, which is critical for training AI models while ensuring the privacy of Indian citizens. Important Global Milestones

Additional Keypoints for Examination • Talent vs. Infrastructure: India holds the world\'s largest AI talent pool after Singapore but faces challenges in high-end compute costs and hardware (GPU) availability. • The Seven Chakras: The summit deliberations are structured around seven themes: Human Capital, Inclusion, Safe AI, Resilience, Science, Democratizing Resources, and Economic Growth. • Global AI Vibrancy Index: India’s jump from 7th to 3rd (Stanford Report 2025) highlights rapid growth in R&D and startup investments. Conclusion The India AI Impact Summit 2026 represents a shift in the global technology hierarchy, where India is no longer just a consumer of technology but a norm-setter. By advocating for \'AI for All\' and offering its AI Stack as a global public good, India aims to prevent a \'digital divide\' while securing its own strategic autonomy in the fourth industrial revolution. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India; Effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. • GS Paper III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, and AI. • Essay: Topics related to \'Technology as a tool for social justice\' or \'India\'s rise as a global leader in the 21st century.\'