Addressing a virtual session at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA), said that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be left to chance and requires a clear commitment aligned with large-scale employability.

He said countries must act decisively by strengthening foundational education, building high-quality skills, expanding labour-intensive service sectors and removing regulatory bottlenecks.

He described AI adoption as a collaborative effort, calling for a “Team India” approach that involves policymakers, the private sector and academia. He added that the window remains open but is not indefinite. There is a need to act with urgency.

The India AI Impact Summit and the accompanying expo are scheduled to open to the general public from February 17, following its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Running alongside the summit, the expo features pavilions from 13 countries, including Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy, highlighting international collaboration in the AI ecosystem.

The event includes around 300 pavilions and live demonstrations, organised across three thematic pillars, people, planet and progress and is spread over 10 arenas covering more than 7,000 square metres.