At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Global South policymakers and tech leaders from nations like Indonesia, Uganda, and Ghana convened to boost AI collaboration, focusing on shared learning, regulatory harmony, and infrastructure ties for economic and social progress.
Kautsarina Adam from Indonesia’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance highlighted the summit’s key diplomatic and economic benefits.
Responding to a question on the event’s significance, Kautsarina Adam said: “This summit provides mutual recognition and agreement on our shared efforts. We aim to adopt AI to boost our economy and global partnerships, making it vitally important for us.”
“We can benefit from AI through improved skills in education, heightened awareness, and stronger regulatory frameworks—leveraging datasets from India,” she added.
Irene Karungi Sekitoleko, Senior ICT Infrastructure Engineer at Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, described AI as an emerging yet promising field in her country.
Irene Karungi Sekitoleko from Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance said, “Uganda is developing governance frameworks to harness this emerging technology. We seek to learn from countries like India on scaling solutions, adapting them to local contexts, and building collaborations at this summit to tackle challenges like limited compute power and infrastructure.”
“Uganda enjoys strong ties with India, bolstered by the Indian community’s economic contributions. We eagerly anticipate deeper collaboration, partnerships, and learning, especially on how our governments can jointly leverage emerging technologies”, she added.
Maxwell Ababio, Head of Technology and Ethics at Ghana’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), commended the summit’s stellar organization and diverse participants. He spotlighted Ghana’s push to finalize a national AI strategy, alongside its policy collaborations with Rwanda.
Maxwell Ababio noted India’s strong role in their network, saying, “India is doing well, a lot has been learned, and more collaboration is needed.” He expressed optimism for deeper ties.
India’s thriving AI ecosystem serves as both a partner and model for developing nations. As Global South countries leverage AI for inclusive growth, the summit fostered actionable partnerships.
India plays a pivotal role in the Global South as a democratic leader and development partner, offering a non-threatening model of cooperation rooted in shared priorities like inclusive growth, digital infrastructure, and climate resilience.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 underscores this leadership, positioning the country as an AI bridge for emerging economies, sharing scalable solutions, datasets, and policy frameworks that address local challenges without Western dependencies.
Through platforms like G20, BRICS, and Voice of Global South Summits, India amplifies Southern voices, fosters South-South trade, and drives equitable tech adoption.
