DN Exclusive: ‘India Building AI Strength Across the Entire Value Chain, Not Just One Block,’ says Ashwini Vaishnaw

At a curtain-raiser for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined India’s full-stack AI strategy, talent expansion plans, global partnerships, and job creation goals, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the summit on February 19

Post Published By: Karan Sharma

Updated : 31 January 2026, 11:43 AM IST

Ashwini Vaishnaw at India AI Summit

New Delhi: Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said India will emerge as major force globally in the Artificial intelligence as it has a long-term, methodical strategy for the same.

The minister was briefing the media on curtain raiser for the upcoming AI summit in February. The curtain raiser presser was attended by senior government officials, industry stakeholders, and media representatives as he highlighted India’s expanding role in the global AI ecosystem.

PM Modi will address India AI Summit on February 19

Vaishnaw announced that the India AI Summit will start on February 16 and will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 19. The event will see participation from representatives of several countries, global CEOs, and ministers. A high-level CEO roundtable is also scheduled on the same day, underscoring the summit’s international importance.

Over 100 Global CEOs to Take Part

The minister said more than 100 CEOs from across the world are expected to participate in the summit, reflecting India’s growing influence in shaping global AI conversations. He added that some AI models have already been demonstrated to the Prime Minister and will be showcased during the summit.

Strengthening India’s AI and Chip Talent Base

Vaishnaw highlighted the government’s focus on building a strong domestic talent pipeline. “We currently have 300 laboratories where students are developing chips. This will now be expanded to 500 universities, creating a massive talent pipeline for the AI industry,” he said, stressing the importance of semiconductor and AI hardware capabilities.

AI Kosh to Power Data-Driven Innovation

The minister also pointed to AI Kosh, a common platform where nearly 7,000 non-personal, anonymised datasets related to geography and weather have been uploaded. The platform will be accessible to students and researchers, enabling innovation while maintaining data privacy.

AI Adoption Creating Jobs, Not Cutting Them

Addressing concerns around job losses, Vaishnaw said AI adoption has instead boosted employment. “India’s IT industry has leveraged AI effectively to create jobs. Around 33 percent of jobs have been generated due to AI adoption,” he noted.

Core Message: India’s Full-Stack AI Approach

Responding to a question from Dynamite News on whether India is engaging with middle powers like Japan, Singapore, and Switzerland to avoid over-dependence on the US or China for critical AI components, Vaishnaw emphasised India’s comprehensive strategy.

“We have to work on each and every layer of the AI stack. India today is one of the most important countries in the AI ecosystem, and we cannot afford to leave out any layer,” he said.

He added that India’s progress is being globally recognised and is following a step-by-step, methodical path, with a clear focus on building strong capabilities in at least two of the five layers of the AI value chain.

Laying the Groundwork for Strategic AI Self-Reliance

The curtain-raiser made it clear that India’s AI vision is not about selective partnerships or geopolitical dependence, but about building end-to-end capabilities — from talent and data to hardware and AI models — positioning India as a reliable and indispensable global AI player.