As the world gears up for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, the event marks more than just another milestone in India’s technology roadmap—it represents a significant inflection point in the global AI discourse. In a world increasingly divided by geopolitical rivalry, digital trade barriers, and strategic control over emerging technologies, India stands poised to offer a third path—one rooted in trust, inclusion, and cooperation, especially for the Global South.
The summit arrives during a period of rising techno-nationalism and shifting alliances. Export controls on high-performance chips and critical minerals essential for AI development have become strategic tools. The United States and China, the two AI superpowers, are leveraging these advantages to shape the global AI landscape, often at the expense of middle powers and smaller nations.
AI is undeniably transformative. It influences economies, governance systems, public services, and even international relations. However, its development is resource-intensive, capital-heavy, and concentrated in just a few hands. This concentration creates not only inequality in access but also serious vulnerabilities for countries without direct stakes in the AI value chain.
The United States controls the high end of this chain, including compute infrastructure and foundational models like ChatGPT. China, meanwhile, dominates critical mineral processing and has rapidly developed its own generative AI models, such as DeepSeek. Together, they control both the inputs and outputs of the global AI ecosystem, leaving other countries to adapt to externally set rules and limits. This imbalance is not merely technical—it’s geopolitical. By regulating access to advanced AI tools and infrastructure, these countries are shaping the very conditions under which innovation is possible elsewhere. Such power also gives them influence over global AI governance, further deepening the gap between the AI haves and have-nots.
But this is where middle powers can play a crucial role. Countries like Japan, South Korea, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are building their own sovereign capabilities. These include sovereign wealth funds backing AI ecosystems, high-performance computing infrastructure, and open-source models that are transparent and aligned with local laws. India, too, has a unique value proposition. Its strength lies in the development of digital public infrastructure like Aadhaar and UPI, which has laid the groundwork for scalable, inclusive, and secure tech ecosystems. These systems are not just domestic achievements—they are exportable, adaptable, and ready to be shared with other countries, particularly in the Global South.
The India AI Impact Summit is a timely opportunity to foster a new kind of international cooperation—one that prioritizes distributed innovation over monopolies, and shared standards over fragmented rulebooks. The summit could help initiate a global pact on AI cooperation, bringing together countries that can collectively shape the future of AI through co-development and knowledge exchange. This global alliance would also serve a strategic purpose—strengthening the resilience of AI value and supply chains. With trade restrictions and punitive tariffs becoming more common, relying on just a few nations for critical technology has become a risky proposition. A more distributed, cooperative model of development offers a safety net.
Within this context, a core debate in India has been whether to focus on building its own foundational AI models or to become the application capital of the world. While both paths have merit, India’s most compelling opportunity lies in what can be called complementary innovation. Complementary innovation refers to technologies and services that enhance the utility of core AI models. Rather than duplicating high-end research already happening elsewhere, India can focus on enabling AI to reach the last mile—whether in healthcare, agriculture, education, or governance. This is where India’s experience in building digital infrastructure for scale becomes a game-changer.
Consider Kompact AI, a project by IIT Madras and Ziroh Labs. It allows AI models to run on affordable CPUs rather than expensive GPUs. This may seem like a small tweak, but it opens the door for AI deployment in low-resource settings where compute power is scarce but the need for technological support is high. Such innovations are essential for making AI truly global.
India’s network of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) also adds to this value proposition. With over 90% of these centers focusing on AI and innovation, India has become a hub not just for software services but for cutting-edge R&D. These GCCs are evolving into autonomous engines of innovation, capable of delivering AI solutions across sectors and continents.
By embracing this model of complementary innovation, India can offer a threefold value proposition to the world. First, it can make existing AI technologies more efficient and adaptable for diverse contexts. Second, it can strengthen the digital backbone of national innovation systems through DPI-like services. Third, it can expand the global footprint of AI services through GCCs—beyond just being a delivery arm for multinational corporations.
India’s leadership in AI, therefore, doesn’t have to mirror that of the US or China. It can be distinct, grounded in cooperation rather than control, and driven by purpose rather than profit. This also aligns well with India’s broader foreign policy ethos—balancing global engagement with national interest, and promoting equity in global governance.
The Global South, in particular, stands to benefit immensely from this approach. Many countries in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia are eager to adopt AI but face barriers in infrastructure, talent, and access. India can offer trusted partnerships, technical know-how, and policy frameworks that are tailored to these contexts—bridging the gap between aspiration and implementation.
The India AI Impact Summit, then, is more than a showcase—it is a platform to reimagine the global AI order. It offers a chance to shape a cooperative future where AI is not the privilege of a few, but a tool for many. In doing so, it can also strengthen India’s role as a global convener of trusted, value-driven innovation.
As AI continues to reshape the global economy and social fabric, the world needs new leadership—leadership that is inclusive, pragmatic, and visionary. India is well-placed to provide that leadership, not by competing head-on with AI superpowers, but by offering a compelling alternative—a world where technology empowers, partnerships matter, and trust is the foundation of progress.
Dr Sharanpreet Kaur is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at School of Social Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
