AI Summit 2026: Modi meets Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Google CEO Sundar Pichai in New Delhi on Wednesday, signalling India’s push to deepen global technology partnerships as it positions itself at the centre of the artificial intelligence race.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, being held at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20. Mr. Pichai, who also heads Google’s parent Alphabet Inc., is attending the summit alongside policymakers, industry executives and researchers from across the world.

In a post on X, Mr. Modi said the discussion focused on the work India is doing in AI and the potential for Google to collaborate with Indian students and professionals. “Talked about the work India is doing in AI and how Google can work with our talented students and professionals,” the Prime Minister wrote.

The engagement comes as India seeks to build a stronger domestic AI ecosystem, balancing innovation ambitions with the need for responsible governance and workforce readiness.

The summit has drawn wide international participation. ANI reported that more than 110 countries and 30 international organisations are represented, including over 20 heads of state or government, around 60 ministers and more than 500 global AI leaders.

Alongside the main summit, the India AI Impact Expo has showcased more than 600 startups and 13 country pavilions, underlining the government’s effort to project India as a serious contender in AI research, deployment and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Modi has used the summit to hold a series of high-level meetings with global leaders and industry heads, linking AI cooperation with broader diplomatic and economic priorities.

According to ANI, the Prime Minister also held talks with Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, where discussions covered the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and collaboration in areas such as 6G, clean energy, biofuels and circular economy technologies.

Mr. Modi later met Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, with both leaders exploring ways to strengthen ties in defence, security and technology. The Prime Minister noted that 2026 will be marked as the India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism and AI.

In an interview with ANI’s text service, Mr. Modi framed AI as both an opportunity and a challenge for India’s IT-driven growth model. He said projections suggest India’s IT sector could reach $400 billion by 2030, driven in part by AI-enabled outsourcing and automation.

For global technology firms such as Google, India represents both a vast user market and an increasingly strategic talent pool. For New Delhi, partnerships with companies at the frontier of AI development are seen as critical to building domestic capability, expanding skilling pipelines and shaping international norms around governance and safety.

The summit is expected to continue with further ministerial discussions on AI regulation, societal impact and cross-border cooperation — areas where India is seeking a larger voice as the first major AI summit hosted in the Global South.

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