New Delhi, Feb 16: A high-level delegation of United Kingdom (UK), led by the country’s Deputy PM David Lammy and including AI Minister Kanishka Narayan, will attend the AI Summit which began here today.
The delegation will participate in a range of planned engagements and moves to support global AI innovation, building on the Bletchley, Seoul, and Paris AI summits, with focus on AI’s impact on citizens, growth and sustainability.
UK and international partners intend to redouble efforts for AI to transform public services, create jobs and drive renewal for people worldwide, as talks get underway at India AI Impact Summit 2026, said a statement issued by the UK High Commission here today.
“The UK will join India’s ambitious AI Impact Summit in New Delhi this week to champion how AI can supercharge growth, unlock new jobs, improve public services and deliver benefits for people across the globe,” it said.
The UK delegation will make the case that AI is the engine of renewal – helping doctors diagnose faster, teachers personalise learning, councils deliver services in minutes, and businesses create the next generation of good jobs, the High Commission said.
“Collaboration with India is critical to the UK’s ambitions in science and technology,” it said.
The UK and India are investing tens of millions in cutting edge research – from better batteries and next generation telecoms for rural communities, to genomic medicine that could tackle rare diseases.
“In New Delhi, the Deputy Prime Minister will explore how new British and Indian innovations are changing the world in AI and will take part in a session looking at how AI can drive inclusive social empowerment and tackle inequality,” the statement said.
Lammy is expected to speak on a high‑level panel on Friday about unlocking opportunity through global languages and he will also announce new UK support for the Asian AI for Development (AI4D) Observatory, which will support responsible AI innovation and governance across South and Southeast Asia.
Ahead of the Summit, Lammy said: “The UK is leading the way on AI innovations and expertise. We are rightly a magnet for investment and talent from across the globe.
“This Summit is an important moment in determining how we can work together with our international partners to unlock the full benefits and potential of AI, while baking in robust and fair safety standards that protect us all.
“We are turning ambition into action to deliver UK jobs, growth and prosperity. The business leaders joining us in India will build concrete partnerships and secure investment that delivers opportunity for working people in the UK, India and across the globe.”
UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said: “AI is the defining technology of our generation – and we’re determined to make sure it delivers for everyone. It can cut waiting times, transform public services, create new jobs and give hard working communities a fresh start – and that’s exactly the message we’re taking to the summit.
“It is central to our plans for delivering national renewal but its benefits can’t and shouldn’t be reserved by the few.
“That’s why the UK is leading from front, pushing a global vision for AI that helps people everywhere to learn more, earn more, and shape the future on their terms.”
Before attending the AI Summit, Narayan will travel to Bengaluru, often described as India’s Silicon Valley, to see how our two countries are working together to reap the benefits of breakthrough tech, the statement said.
The UK and India are natural tech partners, with major Indian tech companies like Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro already expanding in the UK.
Their backing follows hot on the heels of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai in October, where Indian firms committed a combined £1.3 billion of investments into the UK.
India is also a vitally important market for British businesses – with UK firms generating more than £47.5 billion in revenue from their business in India.
The Prime Minister joined PM Modi last year to unveil Vision 2035, a shared ambition for how the UK and India partner together to unlock the huge potential of this partnership.
Unlocking new opportunities for growth across both economies, driving innovation, and shaping the technologies of tomorrow together are key pillars of that commitment.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 follows the momentum of the Bletchley, Seoul and Paris AI summits, where the UK has consistently shaped the global agenda. At home, Britain is powering ahead – deepening partnerships with leading tech firms, working with international governments and delivering on the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan to unlock jobs and investment, the statement said.
Overall, the UK has contributed £58 million to the AI for Development (AI4D) programme, launched alongside partners at the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in 2023.
Three new initiatives are being announced as part of the AI4D programme, to ensure that developing countries benefit fully from the AI revolution. The projects being awarded UK support through the AI4D programme, in partnership with Canada, are:
Asia AI4D Observatory: this will support responsible AI innovation and governance across South and South East Asia – helping innovators and people in India, and right across the continent. This is work that will encourage AI adoption in Asia that aligns with development goals, protects people’s rights, and safeguards marginalised groups.
Masakhane African Languages Hub: aiming to make AI accessible in 40 African languages, benefitting up to 700 million people.
AI4D Compute Hub: to be based at the University of Cape Town and in partnership with Canada, UK investment will help build a new AI4D Compute Hub to democratise access to computing for innovators in Africa. The Hub will help Africa’s innovators access the compute infrastructure they need to bring their ideas to life. (BVI)
