Gandhinagar Hosts Landmark Regional Conclave on AI for Good Governance Ahead of India-AI Impact Summit 2026
In a major step toward building a responsible and inclusive AI ecosystem across India, the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, in partnership with the Government of Gujarat and Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, today inaugurated a high-level Regional Pre-Summit Event titled “AI for Good Governance: Empowering India’s Digital Future” at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre.
The day-long conclave, held exactly two months before the flagship India-AI Impact Summit 2026 (15–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi), brought together senior policymakers, global technology leaders, researchers, and industry practitioners to deliberate on how artificial intelligence can accelerate economic growth, improve public service delivery, and drive social transformation across urban and rural India.
Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Rajnikant Patel formally inaugurated the event in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Rameshbhai Sanghavi, Minister for Science & Technology Shri Arjunbhai Devabhai Modhwadia, Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Kumar Das, MeitY Additional Secretary and NIC Director General Shri Abhishek Singh, and Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat, Ms. Ponugumatla Bharathi.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister Patel emphasised Gujarat’s pioneering role in digital governance and reiterated the state’s commitment to leveraging AI for smarter cities, precision agriculture, and inclusive growth. “Gujarat is proud to host this crucial dialogue that will shape India’s AI roadmap and ensure technology reaches the last mile,” he said.
The conclave featured power-packed keynote sessions and panel discussions delivered by global and national experts from MeitY, Bhashini, Google Cloud, Microsoft, IBM Research, NVIDIA, Oracle, and AWS. Key themes explored included:
- AI-powered governance and efficient public service delivery
- Transforming urban infrastructure and rural prosperity through AI
- Smart agriculture and food security innovations
- Generative AI and the next wave of technological breakthroughs
- AI applications in healthcare and public wellbeing
- Fintech, digital payments, and financial inclusion
- Multilingual AI and the transformative role of BHASHINI in breaking language barriers
A highlight of the event was the interactive Experience Zone, jointly curated by IndiaAI Mission and the Department of Science & Technology, Gujarat. Delegates experienced live demonstrations of cutting-edge AI solutions already being deployed in governance, healthcare, agriculture, and industry across the country.
Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, underlined that regional conclaves like Gandhinagar are critical for co-creating state-specific AI strategies. “The insights and partnerships forged here will directly feed into the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, ensuring that India’s AI frameworks are scalable, trustworthy, interoperable, and deeply rooted in public interest,” he stated.
The Gandhinagar Regional Pre-Summit is the first in a series of state-level events planned ahead of the 2026 global summit, reflecting the IndiaAI Mission’s focus on collaborative federalism in building a safe, inclusive, and innovation-led AI ecosystem.
As India positions itself as a global leader in responsible AI, today’s conclave reinforced the message that technology must serve people — from farmers in rural Gujarat to citizens in smart cities — while upholding ethics, transparency, and equity.
With the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 expected to attract over 10,000 delegates, including heads of state, CEOs, and researchers from across the world, the Gandhinagar dialogue has set a strong foundation for shaping policies and solutions that will define India’s digital future for decades to come.
