UN Chief Guterres, Global Leaders to Converge in New Delhi for AI Impact Summit 2026

Senior United Nations leaders, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will participate in the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, marking the first global AI gathering of its scale to be convened in the Global South.

The Summit, organised by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will bring together governments, international organisations, industry, academia and civil society to advance the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence in support of sustainable development.

The UN system will convene more than 30 side events during the Summit, addressing agriculture and food security, gender equality, health systems, digital public infrastructure, disaster risk reduction and children’s safety.

"We need shared understandings to build effective guardrails, unlock innovation for the common good, and foster cooperation," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently said ahead of his visit to India.

The development comes a day after the United Nations General Assembly appointed 40 members, recommended by the Secretary-General, to the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, the first global scientific body of its kind.

How will the AI Panel assess global impacts of artificial intelligence and support AI governance?

The Panel will bring together leading experts selected from more than 2,600 candidates to assess how AI is transforming societies and economies worldwide and will issue an annual report containing evidence-based scientific assessments on AI’s opportunities, risks and impacts, including in support of the new Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

Its members include Indian expert Balaraman Ravindran of IIT Madras.

The Embassy of Israel in New Delhi has announced the arrival of a high-level Israeli delegation to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

The delegation, led by Ilan Fluss, former Ambassador and EDTs Policy Coordinator at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, comprises senior government officials, technology leaders, researchers and policy experts to deepen Israel-India cooperation in artificial intelligence, climate resilience, ESG investment, digital governance and responsible innovation.

"At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the global order, India and Israel have a joint responsibility to lead with innovation guided by ethics. Our partnership demonstrates how advanced technology and human values can progress together. Israel's delegation to India AI Impact Summit symbolises the next chapter in our bilateral relations, where co-creation in AI, deep tech, and digital public goods becomes a bridge between our societies and a model for global cooperation,” Fluss said.

How will Israeli delegates shape discussions at the AI Impact Summit 2026?

Throughout the Summit, Israeli delegates will participate in high-level panels and bilateral engagements focused on AI for climate adaptation, precision agriculture, digital public infrastructure, workforce transformation and ethical governance of emerging technologies.

Discussions will also explore innovative ESG models, impact investment and public-private partnerships aimed at delivering inclusive and sustainable growth.

Maya Sherman, Innovation Attache at the Embassy of Israel said, "India and Israel share a vision of technology that serves people first. Our cooperation in AI, climate innovation and digital transformation is focused on real-world challenges, from resilient agriculture and future-ready skills to responsible AI applications. The Impact Summit reflects the deep trust between our ecosystems and our commitment to innovation that is inclusive, ethical and grounded in societal needs."

In the lead-up to the Summit, the Embassy organised a series of side events to foster dialogue between Israeli and Indian stakeholders across academia, industry and government.

During the main events at Bharat Mandapam, the Embassy plans to collaborate with leading institutions and partners, including IIT-Ropar, Dhirubhai Ambani University and tech policy think tank The Dialogue, to further strengthen bilateral engagement in AI and emerging technologies, while advancing partnerships between governments, industry, academia and civil society as part of the growing strategic relationship between Israel and India.

(With inputs from ANI)