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India PM | February 19, 2026: Your Essential Daily Briefing on India's Prime Minister
The India PM Newsletter for February 19, 2026 covers PM Modi presenting India's MANAV Vision for AI emphasising human-centric ethical development, holding bilateral meetings with several world leaders on sidelines of India AI Impact Summit, stressing ethical AI at leaders' plenary, and paying tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
NEWS IN DETAIL
PM Modi Presents India’s MANAV Vision For AI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Top leaders from many countries and AI sector stalwarts were present at the event held at Bharat Mandapam.
Prime Minister Modi said that India is not just a part of the AI revolution, but is leading and shaping it, while speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi.
The theme of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 is “Welfare for All, Happiness of All.”
In his speech, Prime Minister Modi thanked all the tech leaders who participated in the India AI Impact Summit and made it a success. He welcomed all the leaders on behalf of 140 crore Indians.
PM Modi hailed the AI Summit in Bharat as a proud moment for the Global South, emphasizing India’s commitment to inclusive and responsible artificial intelligence development.
During his keynote address, Prime Minister Modi urged for the democratisation of Artificial Intelligence in the country. He cautioned that humans must not become mere data points or raw material for AI, and therefore AI must be democratized. He highlighted that AI should serve as a medium of inclusion and empowerment, especially in the Global South.
The Prime Minister stated that AI must be given an open sky, while command must remain in human hands. He compared this to GPS, which suggests the route but leaves the final decision to the user. He underlined that the direction in which humanity takes AI today will determine the future.
The Prime Minister presented India’s M.A.N.A.V. Vision for AI. He explained that M.A.N.A.V. stands for:
M – Moral and Ethical Systems: AI must be based on ethical guidelines.
A – Accountable Governance: Transparent rules and robust oversight.
N – National Sovereignty: Data belongs to its rightful owner.
A – Accessible and Inclusive: AI must not be a monopoly, but a multiplier.
V – Valid and Legitimate: AI must be lawful and verifiable.
He asserted that India’s M.A.N.A.V. Vision will become a crucial link for humanity’s welfare in the AI-driven world of the 21st century.
PM Modi noted that AI will also open higher-value, creative, and meaningful roles for more people, creating opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and new industries. He stressed the importance of making skilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning a mass movement.
Asserting that the future of work will be inclusive, trusted, and human-centric, the Prime Minister remarked that if humanity moves forward together, Artificial Intelligence will elevate human potential to new heights.
Prime Minister remarked that transparency is the greatest safeguard, noting the saying “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” He observed that while some countries and companies consider AI a strategic asset to be developed confidentially, India believes AI will benefit the world only when it is shared. He emphasized that open code and shared development will allow millions of young minds to make AI better and safer. He called for a collective resolve to develop AI as a Global Common Good.
Drawing a parallel with nutrition labels on food, he said that digital content too must carry authenticity labels so people can distinguish between real and AI-generated material.
Emphasising the importance of child safety, the Prime Minister stated that just as school syllabi are curated, the AI space must also be child-safe and family-guided. He remarked that today there are two kinds of people—those who see fear in AI and those who see fortune. He asserted that India sees fortune and future in AI, backed by talent, energy capacity, and policy clarity.
He highlighted that secure data centers, a strong IT backbone, and a dynamic startup ecosystem make India a natural hub for affordable, scalable, and secure AI solutions.
Noting that any AI model that succeeds in India can be deployed globally, he extended an invitation to the world with the call: ‘Design and Develop in India. Deliver to the World. Deliver to Humanity’.
The inaugural session featured addresses by French President Emmanuel Macron and Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, along with several leading figures from the global industry and technology sectors.
During the India AI-Impact Summit 2026, leaders took a group photo. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Hellenic Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin, Finland Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Estonian President Alar Karis, and other world leaders posed for a photograph in Delhi.
PM Modi Holds Bilateral Meetings With Several World Leaders On Sidelines Of India AI Impact Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During the meeting, both leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved in various fields. Recalling the historical ties that underpin India-UAE ties, they also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in Artificial Intelligence.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is underpinned by strong political, cultural, commercial, energy and people-to-people ties. They acknowledged the progress achieved in bilateral relations in a wide range of sectors, such as defence and security, trade and investment, education and cultural cooperation. Both sides welcomed some initiatives, which set the stage for enhancing bilateral cooperation in traditional as well as new areas of cooperation.
These include the finalisation of the Term Sheet between the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing and G42 and Mohamed Bin Zayed University of AI for the deployment of a supercomputer cluster in India and the setting up of the office of Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company in the GIFT City in Gujarat.
PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with the Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof. During their meeting, both leaders exchanged views on harnessing AI as an enabler for economic and social transformation. Noting the conclusion of India-EU FTA negotiations, they reiterated their commitment to work for its early implementation. Further, they agreed to strengthen India-Netherlands cooperation in technology and innovation, leveraging new opportunities in economic partnership. They also committed to strengthening the global fight against terrorism.
Prime Minister Modi also met the President of Switzerland, Guy Parmelin, on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. During their meeting, they discussed strengthening collaboration in the economic sphere, including trade, investment and technology, especially with the implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), and future-ready partnerships in AI innovation. The Ministry of External Affairs said that India-Switzerland ties will foster technological collaboration, quality investments and job creation, especially for the youth.
The Prime Minister also held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart from the Hellenic Republic of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The two leaders reviewed various aspects of the India-Greece strategic partnership, especially in the fields of trade and commerce, defence and security, tourism, culture and collaboration in AI and other emerging technologies. PM Modi also thanked Mitsotakis for his strong support of India in its fight against terrorism.
PM Modi Stresses Ethical AI At Leaders’ Plenary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Leaders’ Plenary at the India AI Impact Summit.
The plenary brought together Heads of State, ministers, and senior representatives from multilateral institutions to outline national and global priorities on AI, including governance, infrastructure, and international cooperation.
PM Modi said the summit should focus on a human-centric approach and be guided by sensible principles to create a global roadmap for AI.
The Prime Minister also gave three key suggestions to make AI more accountable and trustworthy.
PM Modi said that, respecting data sovereignty, a data framework should be created for AI training. “As we say in AI, ‘Garbage in, garbage out.’ If data is not balanced, secure, and reliable, the output will also not be trustworthy,” he noted.
He added that AI platforms must have clear and transparent safety rules. “We need a glass-box approach instead of a black-box system, where safety rules can be verified,” the Prime Minister said.
On AI research, PM Modi referred to the paperclip problem, explaining, “If a machine is given the goal of making paperclips, it will continue doing so even after using all the resources in the world. That is why AI needs clear human values and guidance.”
Prime Minister remarked that Aspirational India has a major role in the global journey of Artificial Intelligence and, recognizing this responsibility, India is taking significant steps.
He highlighted that under India’s AI Mission, 38,000 GPUs are already available and 24,000 more will be added in the next six months.
PM Modi noted that India has also created AIKosh (National Dataset Platform), through which more than 7,500 datasets and 270 AI models have been shared as national resources.
The Prime Minister emphasized that India’s direction and vision for AI are clear—AI is a shared resource for the welfare of humanity. He underlined the need to build an AI future that advances innovation, strengthens inclusion, and integrates human values. Shri Modi concluded that when technology and human trust move together, the true impact of AI will be visible across the world.
PM Pays Tribute To Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
On the Jayanti of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the visionary leader, exceptional administrator, strategic thinker, and champion of Swarajya.
The Prime Minister stated that Shivaji Maharaj’s courage continues to inspire, his governance serves as a guiding light, and his spirit of justice and self-respect strengthens society even today.
He emphasized that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj always placed the welfare of every single person above everything else and dedicated himself completely to their protection. This commitment is why his life remains a beacon for India across generations.
PM Modi posted on X: “On the Jayanti of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, we bow in reverence to the visionary leader, exceptional administrator, strategic thinker and champion of Swarajya.
May his courage inspire us, his governance guide us and his spirit of justice and self-respect strengthen our society.”