8 February 2026·PIB

Seven Chakras of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026

In this note

1. At a Glance

Seven Chakras = the seven thematic Working Groups structuring the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South [1][2].
Anchored on Three Sutras — People, Planet, Progress — operationalising responsible, inclusive AI cooperation across 100+ countries [1][2].
Examinable as a flagship Indian diplomatic-tech initiative under MeitY/IndiaAI, follow-on to Bletchley (UK 2023) and Paris (2025) AI summits [1][3].

Summit held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi; PM Modi inaugurated India AI Impact Expo on 16 Feb 2026 and the Summit on 19 Feb 2026 [3][4].
Adoption of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, plus three voluntary instruments and the New Delhi Frontier AI Impact Commitments by 13 frontier-model developers [4].

Successor in the global AI summit series: Bletchley Park (UK, 2023) → Seoul (2024) → Paris (Feb 2025) → New Delhi (Feb 2026) [1].
India designated host in 2024; logo and flagship initiatives unveiled by GoI in 2025 [2].
Working Group themes shaped through MyGov public consultation (600+ responses), 500+ stakeholder organisations, and brainstormings in Oslo, Tokyo, New York, Paris [2].
Pre-summit Human Capital Working Group meeting hosted at IIT Guwahati, Assam, by MeitY/IndiaAI [2].

Host / Venue: Government of India, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi [3][4].
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) via the IndiaAI Mission [2].
Tagline: "Welfare for All, Happiness of All" (Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah) [1].
Theme: Democratizing AI, Bridging the AI Divide [2].
Three Sutras: People, Planet, Progress [1].
Seven Chakras (Working Groups): 1. Human Capital [2] 2. Inclusion (Social Empowerment) [2] 3. Safe & Trusted AI [1][2] 4. Resilience, Innovation & Efficiency [2] 5. Science [1][2] 6. Democratizing AI Resources [1][2] 7. AI for Economic Growth & Social Good [2]
Participation: 100+ countries, 20+ international organisations; ~6 lakh in-person attendees, ~9 lakh virtual views [4].

Geopolitical / Strategic: First AI summit in Global South; positions India as bridge between developed AI powers and developing world; continues Bletchley–Seoul–Paris lineage [1][3].
Scientific / Technological: "Science" and "Democratizing AI Resources" Chakras target shared compute, open datasets, and frontier-model access; aligns with IndiaAI Mission compute stack [1][2].
Ethical / Governance: "Safe & Trusted AI" Chakra plus voluntary principles signed by 20+ countries; frontier-model developers signed commitments — soft-law approach contrasting EU AI Act's hard law [4].
Social / Equity: "Inclusion" and "Human Capital" Chakras emphasise reskilling — Voluntary Guiding Principles for Reskilling in the Age of AI endorsed by 23 countries [4].
Economic: Chakra on Economic Growth & Social Good ties AI to productivity, MSMEs, public-service delivery; consistent with "democratisation of technology" framing in PIB backgrounder [1].

8 Feb 2026: PIB Backgrounder on Seven Chakras released [1].
16 Feb 2026: PM inaugurates India AI Impact Expo, Bharat Mandapam [3].
16–17 Feb 2026: Nationwide digital campaign on ethical/inclusive AI [3].
19 Feb 2026: PM Modi inaugurates the Summit proper [3][4].
Summit outcomes: New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact; Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI (22 countries/IOs); voluntary principles on Resilient AI (20+ countries) and Reskilling (23 countries); Frontier AI Impact Commitments by 13 developers [4].

First global AI summit hosted in the Global South [1].
Nodal ministry: MeitY (NOT NITI Aayog, NOT DST) [2].
Three Sutras: People, Planet, Progress [1].
Seven Chakras include Human Capital, Inclusion, Safe & Trusted AI, Resilience, Science, Democratizing AI Resources, Economic Growth & Social Good [1][2].
Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi [3].
Inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on 19 February 2026 [3].
Human Capital Working Group pre-summit meeting hosted at IIT Guwahati, Assam [2].
Public consultation via MyGov: 600+ citizen responses; 500+ stakeholder organisations [2].
Predecessor summits: Bletchley Park 2023 (UK), Seoul 2024, Paris 2025 [1].
New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact adopted at conclusion [4].
Charter for Democratic Diffusion of AI supported by 22 countries/IOs [4].
Voluntary Principles on Reskilling endorsed by 23 countries [4].
Frontier AI Impact Commitments signed by 13 frontier-model developers [4].
Over 100 countries + 20 international organisations participated [4].

GS-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings & agreements involving India / India and the world.
GS-III: Science & Technology — developments and applications; awareness in IT.
Possible stems:
"The India–AI Impact Summit 2026 marks India's transition from a rule-taker to a rule-shaper in global AI governance. Discuss." (GS-II/III, 15 marks).
"Examine how the 'Seven Chakras and Three Sutras' framework operationalises a Global-South vision of responsible AI." (GS-III, 10 marks).
"Contrast the soft-law instruments of the New Delhi Declaration with the EU AI Act's hard-law approach." (GS-II, 15 marks).

IndiaAI Mission (₹10,371.92 cr, 2024) — domestic flagship feeding the Summit agenda.
Bletchley Declaration 2023 / Seoul 2024 / Paris AI Action Summit 2025 — summit lineage.
EU AI Act 2024 — contrasting regulatory model.
Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) — India was Lead Chair 2024.
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) / India Stack — democratisation precedent.
UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021) — multilateral baseline.
NITI Aayog National Strategy for AI (#AIforAll, 2018) — domestic origin.
Semiconductor Mission & ISM — compute-stack complement.

Nodal body is MeitY/IndiaAI, not NITI Aayog (which authored the 2018 strategy).
Three Sutras ≠ Three Pillars of IndiaAI Mission; Sutras are People–Planet–Progress.
Summit is in the AI Safety Summit series lineage (Bletchley → Seoul → Paris → New Delhi); don't confuse with GPAI Summit.
Number of Chakras is seven, not five (avoid confusion with IndiaAI Mission's seven pillars — different list).
Venue is Bharat Mandapam, not Yashobhoomi or Vigyan Bhawan.