New Delhi, Feb. 23 -- India AI Impact Summit 2026 closed with strong global visibility for India's AI ambitions, with the government highlighting broad international participation and a major turnout at Bharat Mandapam. But like most mega events that bring together VIP leaders, delegates, startups, students, media, and security layers in one venue, it also had moments of friction on the ground.

One such moment, according to a verified source familiar with the summit proceedings, involved Google CEO Sundar Pichai being made to walk nearly 1 km on one of the key days of the event due to access and movement constraints inside the larger summit zone.

The incident, while unusual at that level, is perhaps best understood as a function of scal...