Vaishnaw announced that India will host the AI Impact Summit, described as the largest global AI gathering.

Ashwini Vaishnaw Hails AI as the Engine of a ‘Fifth Industrial Revolution 

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday hailed Artificial Intelligence as the powerhouse of a 'fifth industrial revolution', asserting that its pace will outrun all previous global technological shifts. Speaking at the ET Now Global Business Summit 2026, he outlined India’s five-layer strategy to lead this era by preparing industries, students, and the tech ecosystem.

Vaishnaw announced that India will host the AI Impact Summit, described as the largest global AI gathering. The event features participation from over 20 Heads of State and 100 industry leaders. He emphasised India’s goal to transition from an IT services provider to a global AI powerhouse, noting that the IT sector has spent over two years reskilling its workforce to bridge technical expertise with domain knowledge.

A major highlight will be the launch of sovereign AI models by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vaishnaw revealed these Indian models have outperformed global systems like OpenAI and Gemini Pro in certain benchmark tests through frugal innovation. 

Furthermore, he noted significant progress in the “chip layer”, with Indian semiconductor design reaching new heights. The Minister stressed that a coordinated push across talent, models, and hardware will position India at the forefront of the global AI revolution, calling for urgent preparedness in education and governance.

Source: The Tribune