Jitin Prasada calls AI Summit a ‘Mahakumbh’ for artificial intelligence

Union Minister Jitin Prasada described the AI Impact Summit 2026 as a "Mahakumbh for artificial intelligence". He urged innovators to embrace AI for self-reliance, highlighting India’s role as a talent hub and stressing the need for sector-specific AI solutions

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Commerce and Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada on Monday described the five-day AI Summit as the “Mahakumbh for artificial intelligence”, saying the scale and participation reflect a historic moment in India’s digital journey.

In his address at the ‘AI Impact Summit 2026’ in the key session titled From AI User to Creator, he called on innovators and entrepreneurs to embrace AI and develop new solutions that can lead India towards self-reliance and global leadership.

---

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “we have successfully progressed from being users of AI to becoming creators of AI,” the minister said. He added that technology and trade are emerging as the twin engines driving the country’s economic expansion.

Prasada stressed that the technology sector is moving at an unprecedented pace and warned that governments failing to remain agile risk being left behind in the global race. He said India is already the “talent capital of the world”, but cautioned that without constant adaptation to future technologies, the advantage could narrow.

The minister noted that artificial intelligence must go beyond being an academic subject and instead become a capacity-building tool for young Indians. He urged policymakers and industry leaders to focus on sector-specific and region-specific AI deployment rather than limiting conversations only to large language models.

Prasada said the Global South now wants to see tangible life-impacting AI solutions rather than theoretical debates. He added that AI must directly contribute to improving both ease of doing business and ease of living for citizens.

“The objective is not to keep advanced technology in the hands of a few but to democratise access across society,” the minister told the gathering.

Calling data the “fuel” of the AI ecosystem, he said efforts are underway to make quality data available so that technology can genuinely transform lives.

The ‘India AI Impact Expo 2026’ is expected to witness the participation of over 2.5 lakh visitors, including international delegates. The event aims to foster new partnerships and create business opportunities within the global AI ecosystem.