India, Oct. 5 -- As the world gears up for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, the event marks more than just another milestone in India's technology roadmap-it represents a significant inflection point in the global AI discourse. In a world increasingly divided by geopolitical rivalry, digital trade barriers, and strategic control over emerging technologies, India stands poised to offer a third path-one rooted in trust, inclusion, and cooperation, especially for the Global South.

The summit arrives during a period of rising techno-nationalism and shifting alliances. Export controls on high-performance chips and critical minerals essential for AI development have become strategic tools. The United States and China, the two AI s...