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India Pulse | February 20, 2026: Your Daily Digest of India's Governance, Progress, and Vision
The India Pulse Newsletter for February 20, 2026 covers the conclusion of India AI Impact Summit 2026 with strong global endorsement of India’s responsible AI vision, UN Secretary General calling on President, Lok Sabha Speaker warning against deepfakes and calling for ethical AI to safeguard democracy, Indian Air Force hosting grand air show in Jaipur, Amit Shah launching Vibrant Villages Programme–II in Assam, Dharmendra Pradhan addressing India–Spain Education Conference, and Electronics & IT Ministry highlighting open networks and DPI for population-scale AI.
NEWS IN DETAIL
India AI Impact Summit 2026 Concludes With Strong Global Endorsement Of India’s Responsible AI Vision
India AI Impact Summit 2026 Concludes at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on February 20, 2026, with Strong Global Endorsement of India’s Responsible AI Vision.
Addressing the concluding press conference in New Delhi, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the AI Impact Summit has been a grand success on many fronts.
Mr Vaishnaw said more than five lakh visitors have enjoyed this exhibition, learned a lot, and interacted with many experts from the world.
He elaborated that practically every major AI player in the world participated in large numbers. Mr Vaishnaw added that many startups got the opportunity to showcase their work and the quality of discussion was phenomenal.
The Minister higlighted that there were a lot of investment pledges, which have crossed 250 billion dollars for the infra-related investments and about 20 billion dollars for the VC deep tech investments which have been committed by investors.
The Minister also thanked the youth who endorsed the Summit and took it positively.
Addressing the media, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the event as a grand success. He stated that 20 world leaders attended this AI summit and 45 delegations represented at ministerial level from across the world. He said hundred countries were represented at this particular summit, with a strong focus on the global south.
United Nations Secretary General Calls On President
António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The President welcomed the initiative of Secretary General Guterres to create a global scientific panel on AI to serve all of humanity.
Secretary General Guterres appreciated India’s leadership role in convening the successful AI Impact Summit, and its longstanding collaboration with the United Nations in various fields.
The President noted that at a time of global uncertainties, multilateralism is facing major challenges, including a widening trust deficit. She added that the existing outdated framework of the UN Security Council must be reformed to reflect contemporary geo-political realities, and the Global South must have a greater say in decision-making. She emphasized that urgent reform of the UN Security Council is the key to maintaining the relevance and effectiveness of the UN.
The President noted that while the ‘UN-80’ initiative offers a good platform for reforms, it is important that developmental priorities of the Global South are protected in any restructuring exercise.
The President extended her good wishes for the rest of Mr Guterres’ tenure as UN Secretary General, and reiterated India’s full support towards multilateralism.
Lok Sabha Speaker Warns Against Deepfakes, Calls for Ethical AI to Safeguard Democracy
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla cautioned that deepfakes and misinformation pose serious threats to democracy, stressing that Artificial Intelligence must strengthen truth and credibility rather than distort facts.
Addressing a special session on “AI for Democracy” at the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, he highlighted AI’s role in making governance transparent and citizen-centric.
He cited initiatives like Digital Parliament and Sansad Bhashini for enhancing accessibility and accountability. Emphasising ethics and human values, Mr. Birla said technology should support democratic principles as India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
Indian Air Force Hosts Grand Air Show In Jaipur
A grand air show was organized by the Indian Air Force at the historic Jal Mahal in Jaipur, where the Sarang Helicopter Display Team and the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team enthralled spectators with breathtaking aerial maneuvers.
Led by Commanding Officer Abhijeet, the five-helicopter Sarang team won hearts by performing impressive formations. The helicopters, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), created stunning patterns in the sky with exceptional precision and coordination. Low-altitude balanced flying, head-on crossings, and synchronized movements took the excitement to its peak, drawing loud applause and cheers from the crowd.
Following this, the Surya Kiran team’s jet aircraft entered the sky, releasing trails of tricolor smoke as they began their formation flying display. Flying at heights ranging from approximately 100 to 1,000 feet, the team executed complex maneuvers such as loops, barrel rolls, diamond formation, heart shape, DNA formation, and crossovers. The spectacular performance left the audience amazed. The Surya Kiran team has performed at more than 800 air shows worldwide.
Apart from local residents, a large number of domestic and international tourists gathered at Jal Mahal to witness the event. The objective of the air show was not only entertainment but also to inspire youth to join the Indian Armed Forces.
Special security and traffic arrangements were made by the administration and police for the smooth conduct of the event. The air show will also be held on February 22.
Amit Shah Launches Vibrant Villages Programme–II In Assam
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah arrived in Assam on a two-day visit on Friday and launched the Vibrant Villages Programme–II with an outlay of Rs. 6,839 crore at Natanpur village in the border area of Katigara in Cachar district.
At the event, Shah visited an exhibition showcasing local products and addressed a public meeting. He said the programme would ensure development of border villages and create sustainable livelihood opportunities. He added that the initiative would give fresh momentum to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken several steps for the development of border areas. He described illegal land encroachment as a major problem in Assam and said effective measures have been taken over the past ten years to curb it.
The Home Minister said a drive to remove illegal encroachment is underway under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was also present at the programme. He asserted that intruders would be identified and evicted in a phased manner.
Dharmendra Pradhan Addresses India–Spain Education Conference
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the closing session of the India–Spain Conference on Higher Education.
Spain and India are marking 70 years of diplomatic relations, with education, research, and youth exchanges forming a central pillar of their shared vision.
The Minister said that India’s National Education Policy 2020 promotes global academic collaboration and encourages international partnerships in higher education. He also invited Spanish universities to establish campuses in India to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Electronics & IT Ministry Highlights Open Networks And DPI For Population-Scale AI
An expert-level discussion was held on the role of Open Networks and Digital Public Infrastructure in scaling AI at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology informed that the speakers demonstrated how India’s approach, combining consent-based data systems, interoperable platforms and open participation, has created the foundation for AI deployment at a population scale.
The session set out a clear proposition that the future of AI will be determined not only by model breakthroughs, but by the digital public infrastructure and open network architectures that allow innovation to reach millions of people.
The session concluded that open networks and DPI together create the institutional and technological foundation required to take AI from pilots to population-scale deployment. Moreover, Leaders called for affordable, easy-to-use and multilingual AI for wider access.