India AI Impact Summit 2026: Path to Scaling Sovereign AI and Data Ecosystems

The session titled "Scaling Impact from India's Sovereign AI and Data" at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 focused on how India can transition from being primarily a consumer of Artificial Intelligence to becoming a creator of AI systems with global relevance.

The discussion underscored that AI sovereignty is not achieved through short-term interventions, but through long-term investments in research talent, institutional mentorship, and shared national infrastructure.

Building Sovereign AI Requires Deep Research Capacity

Panelists highlighted persistent gaps in deep research ecosystems and long-term innovation investment, noting that true AI leadership depends on sustained scientific capability rather than fragmented, project-based efforts.

Speakers identified three foundational pillars of AI sovereignty:

• Development of indigenous AI models adapted to Indian languages and social contexts

• Creation of resilient domestic compute and digital infrastructure

• Strengthening of foundational research and long-term talent pipelines

The session linked advanced AI research to India's national priorities, including agriculture, healthcare, education and financial inclusion.

Abhishek Singh: Sovereign AI Means Control, Not Isolation

Shri Abhishek Singh, Director General of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Additional Secretary, MeitY, emphasised that sovereignty does not imply working in isolation.

"Sovereignty in AI means having control over how AI systems are designed, deployed and governed," he said.

He stressed that AI must solve real challenges in citizen services, ensuring people can access healthcare, education and welfare systems in their own languages while improving quality of life.

Rishi Bal: Shared AI Infrastructure Is Key to Innovation

Shri Rishi Bal, CEO of BharatGen, said AI adoption must be phased carefully, especially in sensitive sectors such as governance, finance and citizen services.

He described AI development as a continuous national journey rather than a sector-by-sector rollout.

He emphasised the need for shared digital infrastructure, including:

• Common foundational models

• Inference architectures

• Standardised AI components

Such infrastructure, he said, will enable startups and innovators to build faster, safer solutions while strengthening the national AI ecosystem.

ISRO: Strategic AI Must Be Offline, Auditable and Explainable

Shri Rajiv Ratan Chetwani, Director, Directorate of Information Systems and Management (DISM), ISRO, highlighted AI's strategic importance for space and national autonomy.

"For ISRO, sovereign AI is a strategic necessity and critical infrastructure," he said.

He stressed that AI systems in strategic sectors must:

• Operate offline without direct internet dependence

• Be transparent and auditable

• Ensure explainability and clear data lineage

• Follow training pipelines aligned with national legal frameworks

He also noted that India's vast geospatial data resources can be leveraged through AI to strengthen:

• Agriculture and irrigation planning

• Disaster management and early warning

• Climate prediction

• Urban development

This, he said, delivers both national security and societal benefit.

Summit Focus: Long-Term Capacity and National Priorities

The session reinforced the broader agenda of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 — strengthening India's AI ecosystem through:

• Sustained research investment

• Resilient infrastructure

• Institutional collaboration

• Inclusive, India-first AI development

The discussions reflected a shared commitment to building long-term sovereign AI capacity that supports innovation, strengthens governance and advances national development goals.