PM Modi Engages Finland, Spain, Croatia Leaders On AI, FTA At Delhi Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a series of high-level meetings with global leaders and industry heads on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in the national capital, reinforcing India’s leadership in artificial intelligence and deepening bilateral partnerships.

In a post on X, PM Narendra Modi shared details of his meeting with Sundar Pichai, focusing on India’s rapidly growing AI ecosystem.

"It was a delight to meet Mr. Sundar Pichai on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. Talked about the work India is doing in AI and how Google can work with our talented students and professionals in this field," PM Narendra Modi stated.

The Prime Minister also engaged in extensive diplomatic discussions with the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, highlighting the strategic importance of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

"Held extensive discussions with the Prime Minister of Finland, Mr. Petteri Orpo. Thanked him for his personal support to the India-EU FTA, which ushers in a golden era in India-Europe relations. India and Finland aim to double trade, thus giving a strong boost to economic linkages," PM Narendra Modi posted on X.

He further added, "We also talked about enhancing cooperation in futuristic technologies like 6G, innovation, clean energy, biofuels, circular economy and more."

Why is 2026 being marked as the India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism and AI?

Following this, PM Narendra Modi met with the President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, to explore ways to deepen bilateral ties across multiple sectors.

The Prime Minister shared on X, "Had a productive meeting with President Pedro Sanchez in Delhi. Discussed ways to boost the India-Spain friendship, especially in areas such as defence, security, technology and more."

Highlighting a special milestone for the current year, PM Narendra Modi noted, "Our nations are marking 2026 as the India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism and AI. This will deepen people-to-people linkages. Glad to see a big delegation of Universities also come to India. This too will go a long way in connecting our people."

"The historic FTA with the EU will have a very positive impact on the economic partnership with Spain and provide new opportunities to the people of our nations," PM Narendra Modi added.

How did PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with Andrej Plenkovic shape India-Croatia cooperation at the AI Impact Summit?

These high-profile engagements took place amid the ongoing summit being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from February 16 to February 20.

The summit has brought together government policymakers, industry AI experts, academicians, technology innovators, and civil society representatives from across the world to advance global discussions on artificial intelligence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a bilateral meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, where the two leaders reviewed India-Croatia ties and explored avenues to expand cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, information and communication technologies, innovation, and clean energy.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that both sides also agreed to work towards the early implementation of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

"Prime Minister @NarendraModi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Croatia @AndrejPlenkovic on the sidelines of AI Impact Summit 2026. The two leaders exchanged views on ways to further strengthen - relations and advance cooperation in new areas of mutual interest including AI, information and communication technologies, innovation and clean energy among others. Both leaders agreed to work for early implementation of India-EU FTA," Jaiswal posted.

"Prime Minister Modi appreciated the deep interest of the people of Croatia in Indology and the Indian traditional system of Yoga and Ayurveda," it added.

Why are People, Planet and Progress central to the vision of the India AI Impact Summit 2026?

India is currently hosting the India AI Impact Summit 2026 as a landmark global convening aimed at shaping the future of inclusive, responsible, and resilient Artificial Intelligence.

Building on the momentum of earlier multilateral AI initiatives, including the summits held at Bletchley Park, Seoul, Paris and Kigali, the India AI Impact Summit seeks to move beyond aspirations toward delivering real, tangible impact.

The summit is structured around the core principles of People, Planet, and Progress, demonstrating how AI can generate meaningful outcomes that serve humanity while advancing inclusive growth, social development, and people-centric innovations that safeguard the environment.

As the first major global AI summit in this series to be held in the Global South, the event is positioned to advance a future where AI's transformative power benefits all, promotes equitable progress, and addresses global challenges responsibly.

The summit builds on extensive preparatory work, including five rounds of public consultations and global outreach sessions held in Berlin, Oslo, New York, Geneva, Bangkok and Tokyo.

To ensure broad and inclusive input, regional events across India have amplified grassroots voices, while more than 50 affiliated Pre-Summit Events worldwide have generated actionable insights and widened participation.

These efforts, complemented by curated consultation sessions and working groups, reflect India’s deeply participatory and consultative approach to organising the India AI Impact Summit.

(With inputs from ANI)