Architecting India’s AI Future With Autonomy, Infrastructure And Mass Empowerment
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Addressing the gathering, he said that 140 crore Indians stand ready to embrace emerging technologies. On their behalf, he welcomed Heads of Government, global AI leaders and innovators attending the summit.
Alongside the main event, prominent global CEOs delivered keynote addresses. Arthur Mensch, CEO and Co founder of Mistral AI, Rajesh Subramaniam, CEO of FedEx, Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Digital Labs, and Vinod Khosla, Founder of Khosla Ventures, explored how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping sovereignty, infrastructure, global commerce and access to essential services. Collectively, they stressed openness, ownership and broad societal impact.
AI Autonomy And Open Innovation
Arthur Mensch argued strongly for decentralisation and digital self reliance. He stated that AI must serve as a tool for empowerment rather than dominance. Countries and regions, he said, must shape their own AI destiny to preserve digital autonomy.
Furthermore, he warned against excessive concentration of power in a handful of corporations. He emphasised that the future of intelligence should not rest with three or four companies. Instead, he insisted that many actors must build and benefit from AI systems.
AI As Foundational Infrastructure
Rajesh Subramaniam described AI as the foundational infrastructure of the next industrial era. In particular, he highlighted its transformative impact on global supply chains. Reflecting on FedEx’s evolution, he said AI no longer represents a passing trend but a structural shift in industrial systems.
He added that intelligence now functions as infrastructure rather than a mere asset. Over the coming decades, he explained, competitive advantage will stem from orchestrating intelligent systems. These systems will predict disruption, optimise flows and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Sovereignty In Energy, Compute And Services
Jeet Adani framed AI as a matter of national capability and strategic sovereignty. He identified energy, compute and services sovereignty as three critical pillars. AI, he noted, runs on electricity as much as it relies on code.
Therefore, he cautioned that fragile energy systems can weaken intelligence systems. He also announced major investments in green and sovereign AI infrastructure. According to him, India must not only participate in the AI century but also shape it through its infrastructure, intelligence and values.
AI For The Bottom Half Of India
Vinod Khosla shifted attention to large scale, practical applications. He advocated AI tutors, AI doctors and AI driven agronomy services accessible to every citizen. Unless AI benefits the bottom half of India’s population, he argued, its full impact will remain unrealised.
Moreover, he underscored that such transformation remains feasible today. Solutions that once demanded vast financial resources can now operate at scale and at lower cost. As a result, AI can expand access to education, healthcare and expertise across the country.
Overall, the session reflected a shared conviction that the next phase of AI must prioritise ownership, accessibility and equitable deployment. Leaders agreed that India stands at a decisive moment. By focusing on inclusive and resilient systems, the country can architect AI frameworks that carry global influence while serving its people.