PM Modi Chairs Roundtable with Indian AI Start-Ups Ahead of India AI Impact Summit 2026
Twelve AI start-ups showcase innovations in healthcare, multilingual models and advanced analytics as Prime Minister stresses ethical, indigenous and globally competitive AI solutions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level roundtable meeting with leading Indian artificial intelligence (AI) start-ups at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, highlighting the government’s strong push to position India as a global hub for AI innovation. The interaction took place ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in the country next month.
A total of 12 Indian AI start-ups, selected under the Foundation Model Pillar of the upcoming summit, participated in the roundtable and presented their ideas, innovations and ongoing work to the Prime Minister. These start-ups are engaged in a wide range of cutting-edge AI domains, reflecting the growing depth and diversity of India’s AI ecosystem.
The participating start-ups showcased solutions spanning Indian language foundation models, multilingual large language models (LLMs), speech-to-text, text-to-audio and text-to-video technologies, as well as generative AI-based 3D content for e-commerce, marketing and personalised content creation. Other areas included advanced engineering simulations, material research, healthcare diagnostics, medical research and sophisticated data analytics for data-driven decision-making across multiple industries.
During the interaction, start-up leaders highlighted the rapid expansion and immense future potential of the AI sector in India. They observed that the global centre of gravity for artificial intelligence innovation and deployment is increasingly shifting towards India, driven by the country’s large talent pool, digital public infrastructure and supportive policy environment. The entrepreneurs commended the government’s strong commitment to nurturing and advancing the AI ecosystem, noting that India now offers a robust and enabling environment for AI development and deployment, firmly placing it on the global AI map.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Modi underscored the transformative role of artificial intelligence in society and governance. He noted that India’s hosting of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 would further strengthen the country’s role in shaping the future of global technology discourse. The Prime Minister said India is making concerted efforts to leverage AI as a tool for inclusive growth, innovation and large-scale societal transformation.
Emphasising the importance of entrepreneurship, the Prime Minister described start-ups and AI entrepreneurs as the co-architects of India’s future. He said India possesses a unique combination of innovation capability and the ability to implement solutions at scale, which gives the country a distinct advantage in the global AI race. He added that India should aim to present a unique AI model to the world that reflects the spirit of “Made in India, Made for the World.”
The Prime Minister stressed that global trust in India is one of the country’s greatest strengths and should guide the development of Indian AI systems. He emphasised that Indian AI models must be ethical, unbiased, transparent and firmly rooted in data privacy principles. He urged start-ups to ensure that their technologies are responsible and trustworthy, while also striving for global leadership from India.
Prime Minister Modi also highlighted India’s potential to champion affordable, inclusive and frugal AI solutions for the world. He suggested that Indian AI models should be distinct in character and should actively promote local and indigenous content, as well as regional languages, thereby making AI more accessible and relevant to India’s diverse population.
Assuring the entrepreneurs of the government’s backing, the Prime Minister reiterated full support for the success and global expansion of Indian AI models and start-ups. He encouraged them to continue innovating while aligning their efforts with national priorities and global best practices.
The roundtable was attended by CEOs, founders and senior representatives of prominent AI start-ups including Avataar, BharatGen, Fractal, Gan, Genloop, Gnani, Intellihealth, Sarvam, Shodh AI, Soket AI, Tech Mahindra and Zenteiq. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Jitin Prasada were also present at the meeting, underscoring the government’s commitment to fostering a strong and future-ready AI ecosystem in India.
