He noted that the country's efforts to democratise AI, focusing on both economic growth and social benefits, have been widely acknowledged.

India’s AI Impact Summit Gains Worldwide Support, 86 Countries Back India’s Declaration 

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Saturday that 86 countries and two international organisations signed the declaration at India’s AI Impact Summit. He also criticised the Congress party, accusing it of harming India’s image on the global stage.

Speaking to the media at the summit venue, Vaishnaw highlighted the active participation and innovative solutions showcased by startups during the event. “There has been remarkable enthusiasm throughout the summit, particularly among the youth,” he said.

The Minister added that the international community has appreciated India’s human-centric approach to artificial intelligence, championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that the country’s efforts to democratise AI, focusing on both economic growth and social benefits, have been widely acknowledged.

Vaishnaw also criticised the Congress party, saying its actions at the summit were shameful. “When I interacted with many exhibitors, they said that the way the Youth Congress workers created a ruckus at the summit was shameful. This shows that they are stooping so low in politics. The Congress party is anti-youth and does not want any innovations,” he said.

The controversy arose when Indian Youth Congress (IYC) members staged a ‘shirtless’ protest at Bharat Mandapam on Friday. The protesters criticised PM Modi and the AI summit, accusing him of compromising the nation’s identity. In response to the protest, police detained the participants. The IYC statement described their action as a demonstration against what they called a “compromised Prime Minister who has traded the country’s identity at the AI Summit.”

Source: The Tribune