Inauguration by Union Minister Shri Jitin Prasada
Shri Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT and Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the Uttarakhand AI Impact Summit 2025 in Dehradun. This event serves as a pre-summit to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, emphasizing responsible and inclusive AI growth.
The summit, organized by the Department of IT, Government of Uttarakhand, in collaboration with the India AI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, was held at Hotel Ramada in Dehradun. It precedes the main India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for February 19-20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Key dignitaries present included Shri Nitesh Kumar Jha, Secretary of Information Technology, Government of Uttarakhand; Shri Mohammed Y. Safirulla, Director of India AI Mission, MeitY; Dr. Durgesh Pant, Director General of UCOST; Prof. Ram Sharma, Vice Chancellor of UPES Dehradun; Shri Sanjay Gupta, SIO of NIC; and Smt. Sharmishta Das, DDG & HOG of AI Division, NIC HQ.
Key Highlights from the Inaugural Address
In his address, Shri Jitin Prasada highlighted India’s commitment to democratizing AI. He stated, “What nuclear technology once was to the last century, AI is to this one—but this time, India is ensuring the opportunity belongs to everyone. We are making world-class computing power accessible at less than a dollar an hour, enabling research, innovation, and disruption for good. From managing the Kumbh with AI to transforming governance and education, Bharat is showing what was once unimaginable is now possible. This is the New Bharat—confident, capable, and leading the world in using technology for impact.”
Insights from State Leadership
Shri Nitesh Kumar Jha, Secretary of IT, Government of Uttarakhand, emphasized shifting from AI users to creators. He said, “We are using AI regularly, but the larger objective of the Government of India and our state is not just to use AI, but to create AI. Let us become creators of AI. We have established a Centre of Excellence and also set up the first Drone Applications Centre, where we are integrating AI into drone technology. For this, we have already received a national award this year from the Hon’ble Prime Minister.”
Collaborations and Presentations
The event brought together premier institutions such as IIT Roorkee, IIM Kashipur, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, UPES, and STPI Dehradun. It featured presentations by AI-led startups supported by IIM Kashipur and STPI Dehradun, showcasing practical AI applications in governance, entrepreneurship, and social impact.
Panel Discussion on AI’s Future
A panel discussion, moderated by Mr. Vivek Agrawal, Country Director of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, included Smt. Sharmishta Das, DDG & HOG of AI Division, NIC HQ; Dr. Safal Batra, CEO of FIED, IIM Kashipur; Dr. Durgesh Pant, Director General of UCOST; Prof. Ram Sharma, Vice Chancellor of UPES Dehradun; and Dr. Azam Ali, CEO of TIDES, IIT Roorkee.
The session explored AI’s evolving landscape, stressing the need to foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving among youth. It encouraged students to engage with real-world issues, understand root causes, and design impactful solutions. The discussion advocated for stronger collaborations between academia, startups, and policymakers to promote responsible AI adoption for public good in Uttarakhand.
Setting the Stage for India AI Impact Summit 2026
The Uttarakhand AI Impact Summit 2025 lays the groundwork for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, the first global AI forum hosted in the Global South. Anchored in India’s vision of “AI for All,” it aims to leverage AI for social inclusion, innovation, and enhanced public services, positioning India as a leader in equitable and sustainable AI development.
About India AI Impact Summit 2026
Hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the summit will occur on February 19-20, 2026, in New Delhi. This global platform will highlight AI’s role in inclusive development, sustainability, and equitable progress, ensuring AI serves humanity while advancing social development and planetary protection.
The Three Sutras: Guiding Principles
The summit is built on three core principles, or Sutras:
- People: AI must serve diverse humanity, respecting cultural identities, preserving dignity, and ensuring inclusivity. Focus areas include human development, multilingual systems, and safe deployment.
- Planet: AI should be resource-efficient, supporting climate resilience, environmental protection, and scientific discoveries, aligning with global sustainability goals.
- Progress: Ensure equitable AI benefits through democratized access to datasets, compute, and models, applied to sectors like healthcare, education, governance, and agriculture.
The Seven Chakras: Areas of Action
These Sutras translate into seven Chakras for multilateral cooperation:
- Human Capital: Address employment, skilling, and workforce transformation with global frameworks for literacy and equitable skill access.
- Inclusion for Social Empowerment: Promote AI reflecting diverse languages and cultures, ensuring accessibility and reducing biases.
- Safe and Trusted AI: Democratize safety tools, transparency, and auditing for interoperable governance.
- Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency: Encourage resource-efficient AI adaptable to local needs, minimizing disparities and environmental impact.
- Science: Expand AI for research acceleration, strengthening Global South ecosystems and open collaborations.
- Democratizing AI Resources: Provide equitable access to data, compute, models, and infrastructure for diverse solutions.
- AI for Economic Development & Social Good: Scale AI in public sectors, foster knowledge sharing, and enable cross-border partnerships.
As AI adoption grows globally, the summit will focus on AI’s measurable impact, with India as a convener for the Global South. It will unite leaders, innovators, policymakers, and pioneers to shape an inclusive AI vision.