India, Feb. 24 -- Between 2023 and 2025, India climbed from seventh place to the top three globally in artificial intelligence competitiveness. And the last leg of this push coincided with India's quest for sovereign AI.

According to Stanford University's 2025 Global AI Vibrancy Tool, which ranks regions on AI talent, research depth, startup ecosystems and economic impact, India now sits just behind the United States and China - a rise that signals not just momentum, but structural capability.

It is against this backdrop that, as we look back at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and what it held in store for the AI ecosystem, the main takeaway is that India's sovereign AI players are ready for the next phase.

Startups, backed by some of ...