The India AI Impact Summit 2026, running from 16th to 20th February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, is a landmark event showcasing India’s rise as a global leader in AI innovation. The summit brings together top-tier tech leaders, policymakers, and industry pioneers to discuss the transformative potential of AI in various sectors, from digital commerce to defense and creative industries.
Nitin Pulyani, SVP and Head of Product at Cashfree Payments, emphasized the shift to AI-driven commerce, saying, “Every major shift in commerce has been defined by a new interface. We are now entering the era of AI conversations, where users don’t browse—they ask. Yet payments have remained stuck in older paradigms. With Cashfree Here, and our collaboration with Mastercard and Swiggy, we are fundamentally changing that by making payments a native part of AI conversations. This is not just about faster checkouts, it’s about enabling a new way for businesses to sell, engage, and grow in an AI-first world.”
Gautam Aggarwal, President, India & South Asia at Mastercard, stressed the importance of trust as AI and digital payments evolve, stating, “India is at the forefront of adopting new digital payment experiences, and as commerce moves into conversational and AI-driven environments, the foundation of trust must remain unwavering. This collaboration will bring passkey-enabled biometric authentication to card payments within AI-native applications, ensuring consumers can transact with confidence, even as experiences become more seamless.”Madhusudhan Rao, Chief Technology Officer at Swiggy, added, “At Swiggy, convenience has always been at the heart of what we do. As we embed conversational AI into our offerings, we are reimagining how consumers discover, decide, and order across food delivery, quick commerce, and dining out, with payments to follow. Innovations like Cashfree Here strengthen this infrastructure, enabling more contextual, secure, and seamless commerce.”
Ankur Kanaglekar, Vice-President – India at Thales, highlighted the role of AI in critical sectors, saying, “India’s AI journey is not just about adoption; it’s about trusted, responsible AI that builds resilient ecosystems. The emphasis on skill development and collaborative innovation will shape future-ready industries.” Thales, with its AI solutions in defense and cybersecurity, continues to push the boundaries of AI under strict governance and sovereignty.Aman Singh, Co-founder of S45, discussed the shift from AI experimentation to real-world deployment: “The conversation has moved from access to models to embedding AI at scale. In regulated sectors like capital markets, competitive advantage will be with firms that translate AI into production systems with measurable impact.”
A standout moment at the summit came with the unveiling of Eros Universe by Eros Innovation. Kishore Lulla, Founder of Eros Innovation, shared, “Eros Universe is more than just a platform—it’s an infrastructure that embeds India’s cultural essence into AI. This initiative will empower creators across Tier 2 and Tier 3 India to engage in AI-assisted storytelling, driving a new wave of digital innovation in the country.” The platform is backed by a $5 million Global Creator Acceleration Program to support AI-driven films, music, and series.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 underscores India’s commitment to leading the AI revolution, not only by adopting cutting-edge technologies but also by creating secure, culturally grounded AI solutions. With global collaborations and innovative AI applications on the horizon, the summit is setting the stage for India to drive the future of AI across industries and regions.
