India poised to become global AI service hub: Jitin Prasada

India is on course to emerge as the world’s leading AI service provider, with the country set to host the prestigious Global India AI Impact Summit next month, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada said on Monday.

Addressing the Uttar Pradesh AI and Health Innovation Conference in Lucknow, Prasada said hosting the AI Impact Summit was a moment of national pride, comparable to hosting the Olympic Games in the sporting arena. He noted that only a handful of developed nations such as the UK, France and South Korea had previously hosted the summit, making India the first developing country to do so.

“This is a very big achievement for India. Countries across the world compete to host this summit. In the technology domain, hosting the AI Impact Summit is similar to hosting the Olympics,” the minister said, adding that the global community is keenly watching the outcomes and direction that will emerge from the event in India.

Prasada said that just as the world relies on internet service providers today, India is steadily positioning itself to become the “AI service provider of the world” in the near future. He emphasised that India’s growing digital infrastructure, talent pool and policy framework are creating a strong foundation for leadership in artificial intelligence.

Referring to the broader geopolitical environment, the minister said that at a time of global uncertainty and imbalance, India has emerged as a stable and reliable pillar. He attributed this to decisive leadership and continuity in governance, noting that the BJP-led NDA government has returned to power for a third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also pointed to recent electoral outcomes, saying public support for the BJP in states such as Haryana, Delhi and Maharashtra reflected trust in the leadership. According to Prasada, strong public mandate enables governments to take bold, long-term decisions. “We are not planning only for the next year. We are laying the groundwork for the next 15 years,” he said.

Highlighting the future of innovation, Prasada said the next major breakthroughs in sectors such as agriculture technology and health technology would not necessarily come from Silicon Valley in the US. Instead, they would emerge from India, particularly from Uttar Pradesh, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, and smaller towns.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the India AI Impact Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 15 to February 20. The summit is likely to witness participation from several heads of state and top executives from global technology giants including Google DeepMind, Anthropic, Adobe, Salesforce, Qualcomm and FedEx.

India hopes the summit will help build global consensus on key AI-related challenges, with a special focus on inclusion, equitable access and the democratisation of artificial intelligence resources. The 2026 summit builds on the momentum of earlier editions held in Bletchley Park, Seoul, Paris and Kigali.