Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on Monday, showcasing innovations and collaborations in Artificial Intelligence.
The Expo, set to take place from February 16 to 20, will serve as a national platform for demonstrating AI in action, where policy converges with practice, innovation scales, and technology touches the lives of everyday citizens, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Spanning 10 arenas and over 70,000 square meters, the Expo will bring together global technology firms, startups, academic institutions, research organisations, Union ministries, state governments, and international partners.
In a interview with PTI on Sunday, Modi highlighted India’s readiness to lead the next wave of the technology revolution, emphasising that the country is prepared to host the world’s data.
"The tax incentives announced in the Budget are designed to accelerate investment in this space, lower the cost of building advanced facilities and position India as a globally-competitive destination for data infrastructure," he said. "We invite the world’s data to reside in India!"
The AI Expo will feature 13 international pavilions, reflecting global collaboration in the AI ecosystem. Participating countries include Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan, and various African nations.
The event will also include over 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations, organised around three thematic chakras: People, Planet, and Progress. Additionally, more than 600 high-potential startups, many offering globally relevant, population-scale solutions, will showcase working solutions already deployed in real-world settings.
The Expo is expected to draw over 2.5 lakh visitors, including international delegates. It aims to foster new partnerships and create business opportunities within the global AI ecosystem.
In his PTI interview, Modi emphasised the critical need for computing power and data center infrastructure to support AI growth. "By expanding capacity today, we are laying the foundations for a thriving Indian AI ecosystem," he said.
He also stressed that India must progress from digital adoption to digital leadership, noting that in a technology- and data-driven world, true leadership—not just participation—will define inclusion, competitiveness, and growth.