New Delhi: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India is rapidly emerging as a global AI powerhouse, backed by strong investments, talent and policy support.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, he asserted that India is advancing across all five layers of the AI stack.
Vaishnaw highlighted nearly $200 billion in infrastructure investments and $17 billion in deep-tech and AI application funding from venture capitalists. He said India’s global contribution would lie in building population-scale solutions in healthcare and agriculture, improving productivity worldwide.
“Our schools and colleges… will be provided with AI technology based devices to create solutions and learn the technology” – Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw
at India AI Impact Summit pic.twitter.com/TzP7imnITR
— Shradha Sharma (@SharmaShradha) February 18, 2026
Emphasising the need to prepare for the fifth industrial revolution, he called on schools and colleges to revise curricula and adopt AI missions that provide technology-based devices for hands-on learning. “Our schools and colleges… will be provided with AI technology based devices to create solutions and learn the technology,” Vaishnaw said.
He also assured strong government backing for AI startups, noting India’s growth from about 500 startups a decade ago to over 200,000 today, with more deep-tech and semiconductor milestones expected soon.
